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 30 August 2008 17:03 BST

Blair unveils "second wave" of school reforms

Thursday, 30 Nov 2006 14:38
Tony Blair promised to focus on education when he came to power
Tony Blair has today announced a major expansion of the controversial city academy scheme.

The prime minister unveiled plans to introduce 400 academies – which usually replace failing schools in inner-city areas and involve private sponsorship – by 2010.

Such an increase represents double the original target for the academies, of which 46 have been introduced since 2002 and 100 others are already in planning stages.

Mr Blair's speech to the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust conference in Birmingham this afternoon comes on the tenth anniversary of his much-broadcast "education, education, education" speech on the future of schools in the UK.

"We will support a second wave of trust schools, ensuring at least 100 schools are working towards trust status as pathfinders this spring," he said.

"Then there is the academy programme with a full range of freedoms. Already 46 are open. The other 150 to meet our 2010 target are now being agreed. Demand is already outstripping the target.

"We are now confident we can double this number, taking it to 400."

He added: "And the test for academies is clear: are parents queuing up to get in or get out? And the answer is overwhelming. They want in."

He is also likely to announce the creation of 100 trust schools within the next three years, as well as give his backing to the A-Level equivalent, the international baccalaureate (IB).

Trust schools are catered for in the Education and Inspections Act, which gives certain institutions autonomy from local education authorities.

"We believe that there should be at least one sixth form college or school in every local authority offering students the choice of the IB," Mr Blair continued.

"So we will support up to 100 extra schools and colleges in training staff to offer the qualification by 2010."

Labour's policies on education have been met with a mixed response over the last decade, not least the city academies and trust schools.

The Conservative party earlier this week warned that the British schools system was in danger of experiencing an "education apartheid", as independent schools looked away from traditional examinations in order to give students tougher assessments.

Teachers' unions have expressed concerns about private companies running state schools.

The Professional Association of Teachers (PAT) says the reforms are not a "panacea" to transform education.

"Becoming a specialist school, academy or trust is not necessarily the answer," general secretary Philip Parkin said.

"Investment, leadership, management, ethos and support for social and family problems are what matters, not the status of a school."End of story


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