Telford MP, Lucy Allan has today welcomed the announcement by the Education Secretary, Nicky Morgan MP, that not all schools will be forced to become academies.
Having listened to stakeholders including teachers, councillors, MPs, governors and others the Education Secretary said that schools will only have to convert to academies where it is clear that the local authority can no longer viably support its remaining schools because too many schools have already become academies or where the local education authority consistently fails to meet a minimum performance threshold across its schools.
Commenting on the statement, Lucy said: “I’m pleased to see the Secretary of State make this statement and thank her for engaging and taking on board what others have had to say.
“I can appreciate some schools not wishing to academise, but for many others becoming an academy offers a positive way forward for pupils. By working together standards and attainment can improve and schools can have a viable future. By going down this route, the much loved, yet small, school of Buildwas Primary was able to have a future by partnering up with Priorslee Primary Academy.
“A central plank of the government’s programme is opportunity for all and only by putting standards front and centre can we hope to see our young people receive the education they deserve.”