A new generation of primary academies

Michael Gove has announced plans to drive up standards in the state school sector by creating a new generation of primary academies, free from political interference.

Under the plans, state primary schools which have demonstrated excellent performance and leadership will be given academy freedoms over their curriculum, budget, staff and school hours. They will be accountable to parents for behaviour and standards, and would be freed from local authority control.

Michael, the Shadow Children's Secretary, said, "Making schools genuinely accountable to parents by freeing them from political interference and giving them control over budgets, curriculum and staff, could make a real difference to the opportunities for some of the most deprived children.”

Under Labour, four million children have failed to get five good GCSEs including English and Maths. Many are failed in primary school, with four in ten children leaving primary school unable to read, write and add up.

Michael stressed, “Academy freedoms for secondary schools have already helped thousands of disadvantaged children by driving up standards in the state sector. We want to allow the same thing to happen in primary schools."