Ed Balls' statement to parliament

10th July 2007

Commenting on Ed Balls’ statement to Parliament on the future of academies and trust schools Steve Sinnott, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, Britain’s largest teaching union said:  

“I welcome Ed Balls’ statement giving local authorities a greater say in the planning of academies and trust schools. This is a direction of travel of which I thoroughly approve.

“The only criteria for the approval of new schools which should be applied by the Government and local authorities must be the needs of the community and standards.

“Simply requiring local authorities to follow the doctrine of choice and diversity without taking into account its effects on young people and the communities they live in is patently absurd. I am glad Ed Balls has recognised this. The next step he should take is to conduct a review of the legislation which established academies and trusts”.