EDUCATION Secretary Bridget Phillipson is under pressure from No10 amid a growing Labour backlash over her schools reforms.
The Cabinet minister is introducing controversial laws attacking academy school freedoms – a move critics say will send education standards plummeting.
GettyBridget Phillipson is facing growing backlash within Downing Street and government over her handling[/caption]
But several government sources say No10 has been left “blindsided” and angry at the scale of the backlash to the plan and believe Ms Phillipson could have handled it better.
Tony Blair created academies – schools that are not under local authority control and have the freedom to set their own staff pay and curriculum.
But Ms Phillipson’s Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will limit the freedoms of academies to set their own pay and pave the way for some to be taken back under council control.
Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh has led the Labour backlash to the changes – and is calling for the PM to stick to the current system.
One government source said: “There is a feeling across government that she has folded to the teaching unions – they have always loathed academies.
“But do we have to have this academies row again?”
Another said: “It feels like there was no plan.”
Another senior party source said Ms Phillipson is “out of favour” with No10 because of the backlash.
The source said: “She is in the dog house – there is anger.”
A Downing Street spokesman said it was “categorically untrue” that there was any disagreement over the Bill and they “fully support” it as drafted.
Dame Siobhain has written to Sir Keir Starmer urging him to stick to the academies revolution.
She said the proposed changes will open up a Pandora’s Box of rows over academies all over again – harming kids education.
She said: “Children need good schools and education now – they don’t have time to go through all these wrangles.”
A Downing Street spokesman said: “The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill reaffirms this government’s commitment to high and rising standards in our schools.
“We want every child to achieve their full potential and will take a range of actions to tackle failing schools. Academisation will continue to be central to that.
“However, we don’t take an ideological approach to education which is why if there are good local authorities with a proven track record then it is right they continue to have a role too.”
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