Cameron’s free schools concept “all but dead” says Lucy Powell

Lucy Powell has accused the Tories of “misleading parents” over their flagship free schools programme. The Shadow education Secretary said that new statistics, which show only one parent-led free school has been approved by the Government this year, reveals ministers have “all but abandoned” the concept.

As it emerged that only one of the 40 free schools approved is a parent-led application, David Cameron faces increasing pressure from his own party to retreat on the forced conversion of all state schools into academies. At PMQs this week, Jeremy Corbyn won praise for skewering the Prime Minister over Tory splits on the issue.

“It’s increasingly clear that the Government’s original concept of a Free School is all but dead,” Powell said today. “The Tories have all but abandoned the concept of parent-led schools, and are instead overseeing a huge expansion of academy chains opening new schools. These findings will come as a surprise to parents and many in the Conservative Party,who are still being sold an untruth about the expansion of the Free Schools programme.

“It is completely disingenuous of government to suggest that parents are at the centre of the schools system. All the evidence shows they are relegating parents’ voices.”

Powell says that ministers have been misleading parents about the input and roles parents have in running free schools, especially following Conservative plans to scrap the requirement for parent governors. The Manchester Withington MP says the move would be further evidence of the Tories removing parents’ voices from the system.

“Ministers are misleading parents and devaluing their contribution to their children’s education, increasingly pushing them out of decisions affecting their schools,” she added.

“Alongside plans to force already good and outstanding primary and secondary schools to become academies, against the wishes of parents and head teachers, the Tories want to scrap the requirement for parent governors. Parents have already been gagged by the government, when it comes to deciding on new academy sponsors for struggling schools.

“Rather than see parents as the enemy when it comes to school improvement and relegating their voice, Labour would put parents and local communities at the heart of the school system, encouraging them to take an active role in their children’s education to help improve standards and help every child achieve their potential.”