Unpopular education bill scrapped

The controversial education bill unveiled in this year’s Queen’s speech has been dropped, but grammar school proposals remain on the agenda

The education bill has already had its most controversial clause removed – forcing all state schools in England to become academies by 2020.

But Justine Greening wrote of her intentions to scrap the bill in a written statement to parliament on the unrelated technical and further education bill.

“We have rightly reflected on our strategic priorities and the proposals for education legislation put forward at the time of the Queen’s speech [in May],” Greening said in the statement.

“My department has renewed its focus on ensuring everything we do drives towards improving social mobility with an emphasis on not just the most disadvantaged families but also on those that are just about managing.

“Our ambition remains that all schools should benefit from the freedom and autonomy that academy status brings. Our focus, however, is on building capacity in the system and encouraging schools to convert voluntarily.

“No changes to legislation are required for these purposes and therefore we do not require wider education legislation in this session to make progress on our ambitious education agenda.”

It is expected that when Greening’s Schools that Work for Everyone consultation is published early next year, it is likely to set out proposals on extending grammar schools.

“The Schools that Work for Everyone consultation, which I announced in an oral statement to the house on 12 September, remains ongoing,” Greening said.

“This consultation asks how we can create more great school places in more parts of the country – including selective places for local areas that want them – and asks our independent schools, universities and faith schools to play their part in improving the quality of our state-funded schools.”

While the scrapping of the bill means councils will still have a role in school improvement and support, a planned budget cut would leave them with few resources to help schools. Richard Watts, chair of the Local Government Association’s children and young people board, said: “We also urge government to reverse plans to cut £600m from the education services grant awarded to councils and academies next year. This funding is vital to help ensure that children are getting the education they deserve, from helping to provide speech therapy and physiotherapy, to carrying out checks on staff and providing music services in schools.

“It also helps to plan for the new school places that are urgently needed, ensuring that every child has a place at a good school near their home.”