Education Bill offers limited reforms with hidden dangers - Davey

12.00.00am GMT Tue 28th Feb 2006

Commenting after the publication this afternoon of the Education Bill, Edward Davey MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Education Secretary, said it was a "missed opportunity" to introduce the reforms schools need and "threatened to reduce parental choice, not increase it".

Mr Davey said "Despite the hype, these are limited reforms, containing hidden dangers that ought to alarm parents and schools across England.

"We will now study the fine print, but if Ministers want the votes of Liberal Democrats they would be strongly advised before Second Reading to refocus on reforms proven to raise standards.

"Schools don't need to become Trusts to get the benefits Ministers promise, but if your local school adopts Labour's Trust model you could find your children don't get a place. Labour wants schools to choose pupils, not parents to choose schools. That's a threat to parental choice.

"Liberal Democrats want a bill to give schools more freedom over what they teach, not whom they teach; a bill that fosters collaboration, not just competition; and a bill that makes schools accountable to local parents, not to distant quangos.

"We certainly welcome the plans on personalised learning and school discipline, but Liberal Democrats wanted more reforms like them - focused on standards - not the structural changes proposed elsewhere in this Bill."