Published today, the White Paper also sets out a ‘pledge’ to parents that if their child falls behind in maths or English, they will get the support they need to ‘get back on track’, as well as setting a minimum school week of 32.5 hours by September 2023 – a move criticised by unions and think tanks as for most schools it amounts to an additional 15-30 minutes per day.
Early years organisations also expressed their disappointment over the Government's failure to include measures to support children in the EYFS within the White Paper.
Multi-Academy Trusts
Within the White Paper, the Government reveals it will make £86 million available to ‘grow’ and ‘strengthen’ multi-academy trusts over the next three years.
It will encourage academy trusts to take over the running of schools in England, with a 2030 target date for converting maintained schools into academies and for them to have joined or be preparing to join a multi-academy trust (MAT).
Schools that have achieved two consecutive Ofsted judgements of below ‘Good’ will be supported to join ‘strong’ trusts. The initial focus will be on schools in the 55 Education Investment Areas.
Local authorities will be able to establish their own MAT and gain powers to encourage schools to join a MAT where it is the ‘right approach for local schools.’ They could also be given powers to force academies to take children who are without a school place.
The White Paper also sets out plans to carry out a review of MATs in the summer, looking at accountability and regulation.
Chief executive of the Education Policy Institute (EPI) Natalie Perera said that it ‘was clear from their research that academisation is no “silver bullet” for improving school performance.
She said, ‘The Government seems to be placing a lot of weight on all schools being in a 'strong multi-academy trust' by 2030, but it is clear from our research that academisation is no 'silver bullet' for improving school performance and there may simply not be enough capacity to absorb thousands of schools into the higher performing MATs.’
Supporting children ‘falling behind’
Under the White Paper, the education secretary Nadhim Zahawi has committed to supporting children who fall behind in maths and English.
Schools will identify children who need help, provide targeted support via a range of proven methods such as small group tuition, and keep parents informed about their child’s progress.
The ‘Parent Pledge’ is designed to support the Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ mission for 90 per cent of primary school children to achieve the expected standard in Key Stage 2 reading, writing and maths by 2030.
Other plans outlined in the White Paper include:
- Every school to be inspected by Ofsted by 2025, including the ‘backlog’ of outstanding schools that haven’t been inspected for ‘many years’.
- 500,000 teacher training and development opportunities by 2024.
- £30,000 starting salaries to attract and retain the ‘best teachers’.
- Every school to have access to funded training for a senior mental health lead to deliver a whole school approach to health and wellbeing.
- The school system working as a ‘whole’ to raise standards with trusts responsible for running schools while local authorities are empowered to champion the interests of children.
The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) has also been awarded at least £100m to put the on a ‘long-term footing’ so they can continue to evaluate and spread best practice in education across the country.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, ‘Literacy and numeracy are the building blocks of a world-class education. They unlock the learning, knowledge and skills that every child needs to succeed in later life.
‘So today, we are making a pledge to every parent – if your child falls behind at school in either of these key subjects, their school will help them get back on track.’
Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi added, ‘We know what works in schools and we are scaling up to ensure that every child can expect interesting, enriching lessons. Parents rightly expect a world class education for their children and that is what we will deliver.’
'Schools are being battered here and now by a storm of real problems'
The National Education Union ( NEU) criticised the Government for focusing on academisation rather than the ‘real problems’ faced by schools.
Joint general secretary Dr Mary Bousted said, ‘Schools are being battered here and now by a storm of real problems. Funding levels are inadequate. Child poverty is increasing. Key indicators of attainment, such as the attainment gap, are moving in the wrong direction. Targets for teacher recruitment are not being met while low play and intense pressures of workload are leading teachers to leave in large numbers. Our curriculum and qualifications system is outdated and sells our students short. The pressure on budgets mean cuts to teaching assistants and welfare posts.
‘The White Paper does not recognise the seriousness and depth of these issues.
‘Its main message is "academise, academise, academise" and a reliance on multi-academy trusts which is simply not-evidence led.
‘It is fantasy thinking to focus on structures and top-down reforms as the route out of a health pandemic. This isn’t the way to support better outcomes for young people, address inequality, close gaps in learning or engage and motivate the teaching profession.’
Labour’s shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson said, ‘Once again we have a smoke and mirrors announcement from a Government that has simply run out of ideas.
‘This White Paper is looking backwards, distracting from the business of teaching with yet more tinkering with school structures whilst offering nothing to change children’s day to day experience in the classroom.’
Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson Munira Wilson said, ‘It's been six years since the last Schools White Paper yet clearly these half-baked plans needed even longer in the oven.
‘Parents and children continue to struggle faced with teacher absences, while schools don’t have the resources to help pupils catch-up because the Government has only coughed up a third of the funding their own catch-up adviser said was desperately needed.’
'Lack of early years focus'
The National Day Nurseries Association said it was 'disappointed' that the White Paper 'fails to address' the issue of funding or 'feature any measures to support children in their pre-school years'.
Chief executive Purnima Tanuku said, 'Levelling up our country must start with our youngest children, this is the best opportunity to support their lifelong learning and gives the biggest return on investment. We need to see more support given to children to build up their foundations of learning. This must include a clear strategy for early years and their workforce.
'A first simple step could be to meaningfully increase the Early Years Pupil Premium to at least bring it in line with the school-aged Pupil Premium. This could really make a difference to the most disadvantaged children and support them to fulfil their potential.'
Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, added, 'Calls for a long-term strategy for the early years sector have long been ignored by the Government and today is no exception. The Schools White Paper is yet another example of the Government’s insistence on prioritising schools over early years providers, despite a wealth of evidence showing that the best way to tackle educational attainment gaps is to invest in quality early education.
'Coupled with years of severe underfunding of the sector, this White Paper will do little to ease the worries of early years providers who understandably feel that Government talk of building a great early education system in this country is little more than empty rhetoric.'