Labour MP’s academies double standards

From an outside view, one could be forgiven for thinking now is a good time for academies in the UK. Figures show more than half of England’s children are now educated in academies – state schools run by independent charitable trusts but funded and overseen by central government – while one such academy Brampton Manor, in east London, recently made headlines thanks to 41 of its students winning offers from Oxbridge. However, not everyone agrees. Under Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour party is dead set against academies – its official policy is to halt the creation of any new academies or free schools should the party takes power.

So, Mr S was curious to see the findings of a new report from the Public Accounts Committee today has cast doubt on the merits of academies –  calling on the government to ‘name and shame’ academy schools. It concludes that education of tens of thousands of children has been damaged by academy failures and the misuse of public funds.