Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to address a north-south disparity in schools, as MPs are set to debate a flagship Bill aimed at driving up educational standards.
The Commons will begin its scrutiny of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill on Wednesday, which includes a tough new regulatory framework for teachers and measures to ensure all state schools follow the same pay and conditions.
The Government also plans to bolster child protection, with a new register of all home schooled children in England.
On north-south, we must drive the same standards of excellence. It must not matter where in the country you’re at school
In his first interview of the year, the Prime Minister told the Mirror newspaper, he was “very concerned about the disparity” between schools in the north and south of England.
“I am absolutely determined that every single child, whatever their background or wherever they come from, gets the same life chances. As every parent will tell you, including myself as a parent of two children, a girl and a boy, now 14 and 16, education is at the heart of that,” Sir Keir said.
He added: “On north-south, we must drive the same standards of excellence. It must not matter where in the country you’re at school. You must have the right and the same chances. But that won’t happen unless we drive through some of these reforms.”
The Tories have accused the Government of “educational vandalism” with the Bill.
Shadow education secretary Laura Trott accused Labour of being set on “tearing up everything that has driven up school standards”, amid fears that academies will lose freedoms that can help to recruit teachers and improve pupil outcomes in challenging areas.
Academies – which are independent of local authorities – currently have the freedom to set their own pay and conditions for staff, and some academies exceed the national pay scales for teachers.
But under the new legislation, all teachers will be part of the same core pay and conditions framework whether they work in a local authority-run school or an academy.
Tens of thousands of teachers who work in academies that exceed the national pay scales could have their benefits and renumeration put at risk by the new law when it comes into effect, the Tories claimed.
Labour’s plans represent an “attack” on academies and free schools, the Tories said, which they argue have helped to drive up standards.
Ms Trott added: “Labour are set on tearing up everything that has driven up school standards: removing school freedoms over pay, curriculum and staffing, and reducing accountability for failing schools.
“This is educational vandalism, plain and simple – and the Conservatives will oppose it every step of the way.”
Leora Cruddas, chief executive of the Confederation of School Trusts (CST), welcomed the Government’s intent to “break down barriers to opportunity”, but added: “The Bill potentially risks making it harder for schools to improve by tying the hands of teachers and school leaders.
“Instead we need to ensure that the Bill creates a system that enables teachers and leaders in all types of schools to do what is best for children.”
A Department for Education spokesperson insisted the Bill would “drive high and rising standards by giving all children access to the expert teachers they need, by providing a transparent, guaranteed pay and conditions offer across all state schools”.
“No teacher will have their pay cut – in fact, the Government will work with the independent pay review body to make the pay framework more flexible, ensuring teachers are more fairly recognised,” they added.
