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Proceeding contribution from Lord Coaker (Labour) in the House of Commons on Wednesday, 21 July 2010. It occurred during Debate on bill and Committee of the Whole House (HC) on Academies Bill [Lords].


Academies Bill [Lords]

No, that is a totally different scenario. I was not saying that at all. I was saying that to target academy freedoms in the first instance to schools in areas of educational underperformance and social disadvantage was exactly the right thing to do. My right hon. Friend the shadow Secretary of State agreed a large number of academies and it is clear that we would have gone on to establish more of them. What we are saying is that this model of academies is the right one. As for amendment 28—I want to stay in order, Mr Hoyle—extending the same model to special schools and primary schools without the evidence to back it up is a risk. A managed expansion would be fine, but this is a free-for-all. That is the difference. I understand that the right hon. Gentleman wants to improve educational achievement in an area, but our view is that this proposal creates an unnecessary risk. Allowing outstanding schools to expand through the academy system as the Bill sets out risks creating the two-tier education system that none of us wants.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
514 c381 
Session
2010-12
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Conditions of employment Admissions Curriculum Disadvantaged Finance Grammar schools Faith schools Local government Pupil exclusions Pupils Primary education Personal, social, health and economic education Standards Teachers Special educational needs Religion Academies Pupil referral units Free schools Relationships and sex education Maintained schools
Legislation
Academies Bill (HL) 2010-12
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk