ANOTHER HUMILIATING FAILURE FOR THE CHANCELLOR

ANOTHER HUMILIATING FAILURE FOR THE CHANCELLOR

In welcoming the announcement that the forced academisation plans are now being dropped by the Government, Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, the largest teachers’ union in the UK said:

“This is another humiliating failure for the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

“Teachers, school leaders and schools have been subjected to an unnecessary period of anxiety and panic as a result of his ill-conceived and politically motivated statement, which did not even command the support of the Tory rank and file, particularly in local councils, and caused rebellion in his own ranks.

“It is disgraceful that teachers and school leaders, already under enormous pressure and stress, were ever subjected to this.

“Although the plan to convert every school to an academy has been dropped, the Government is still subjecting schools in particular Ofsted categories to forced academisation and still regards structural change as the answer to raising standards.

“This aspect of the academisation policy has not changed and the NASUWT will continue to challenge it.”