Powell says Labour will bring academies under control of local authorities

New Shadow Education Secretary Lucy Powell has promised that academies and free schools will not close under a Labour Government, but will be brought under local authority control. This would bring them back in line with other comprehensive state schools.

Speaking to TES, Powell made clear the party’s intention to introduce more control over the schools. The Conservative/Lib Dem coalition Government oversaw a huge expansion in the academy school programme, as well as the introduction of free schools.

“Academies and free schools will remain. They will still exist as schools, but they will come under a different accountability system that will be local. In some places that will be the local authority; in other places that may be the combined authority; and in other places it might be an elected mayor.”

The new shadow education team was announced in full yesterday, and is made up of Lucy Powell MP, Nic Dakin MP, Sharon Hodgson MP, Gordon Marsden MP [Joint with BIS], Pat Glass MP, Lord (Mike) Watson.