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Corbyn to attack 'forced' academisation plan Corbyn condemns academy plans as 'asset stripping'
(about 1 hour later)
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will use a speech to the National Union of Teachers to attack the "forced" academisation of England's schools. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says that the plan to force all England's schools to become academies was a step towards "asset stripping" and privatisation.
Mr Corbyn will accuse the Conservatives of shutting parents out of a say in how their children's schools are run. He told the National Union of Teachers conference that he backed teachers' opposition to "forced" academies.
His speech at the NUT's annual meeting comes more than a decade after senior Labour figures stopped attending. Mr Corbyn, the first Labour leader to address the NUT, received a standing ovation from delegates in Brighton.
Schools minister Nick Gibb said it showed the Labour party had "chosen to retreat into the fringes".Schools minister Nick Gibb said it showed the Labour party had "chosen to retreat into the fringes".
Estelle Morris was the last Labour education secretary to address the conference, in 2002. Mr Corbyn's speech at the NUT's annual meeting comes more than a decade after senior Labour figures stopped attending.
The education secretary - now Baroness Morris - was heckled and slow handclapped by delegates, and the next Labour education secretary, Charles Clarke, refused to attend. Estelle Morris was the last Labour education secretary to address the conference, in 2002, where she was heckled and slow handclapped.
Mr Clarke said the annual conference "seriously damaged" the image of teaching, and subsequent Labour education secretaries refused to attend. But Mr Corbyn received a standing ovation even before he had spoken - and his speech, condemning the government's plans for an all-academy school system, was received with loud applause.
Mr Corbyn, believed to be the first leader of a major party to speak to the conference in living memory, will tell delegates in Brighton that he supports their opposition to the government's plans for all schools in England to be required to become academies. The Labour leader accused the Conservatives of shutting parents out of a say in how their children's schools are run.
'Shut parents out''Shut parents out'
He will say: "George Osborne used the Budget to announce the forced academisation of all schools. "This is an ideological attack on teachers and on local and parental accountability - an attack which was nowhere in their manifesto at the last general election," he told the teachers' union conference.
"This is an ideological attack on teachers and on local and parental accountability - an attack which was nowhere in their manifesto at the last general election.
"The Tories want to shut parents out of a say in how their children's schools are run."The Tories want to shut parents out of a say in how their children's schools are run.
"I want schools accountable to their parents and their communities - not to those pushing to be first in line for the asset-stripping of our education system.""I want schools accountable to their parents and their communities - not to those pushing to be first in line for the asset-stripping of our education system."
Mr Corbyn's criticism of the policy comes as Conservative councillors raised concerns, calling on the government to reverse its plans for England's schools. The Labour leader said the government's policy was a step towards the privatisation of the state school system.
And he argued that it failed to address problems facing schools such as tackling teacher shortages or dealing with the consequences of child poverty.
Mr Corbyn's criticism of the all-academy proposal comes as Conservative councillors raised concerns, calling on the government to reverse its plans for England's schools.
Earlier this week the NUT staged a series of protest rallies against academy status with the rally in London addressed by Labour's shadow education secretary, Lucy Powell.Earlier this week the NUT staged a series of protest rallies against academy status with the rally in London addressed by Labour's shadow education secretary, Lucy Powell.
In his speech, Mr Corbyn will also attack the government's record on education, saying academisation will do nothing to tackle teacher shortages. Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has sent an open letter to teachers attending the NUT conference, also opposing the academy plans.
"The pressure of work forced more teachers to quit last year than ever - over 50,000 - and the government has now missed its trainee teacher recruitment targets for the last four years in a row," he will say.
"That has resulted in half a million children now in being taught in classes of over 31 in primary schools.
"One in four schools are increasing their use of supply teachers, one in six are using non-specialists to cover vacancies and more than one in ten are resorting to using unqualified staff to teach lessons."
Mr Corbyn will promise delegates to "work with you, with parents and pupils, with local authorities and with our communities to defend education".
Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has sent an open letter to teachers attending the NUT conference, vowing to fight against the academy plans.
"I have never understood why the government think that converting a school to an academy will automatically drive up standards. They're wrong."I have never understood why the government think that converting a school to an academy will automatically drive up standards. They're wrong.
"What drives up standards is a well-funded education system and a teaching workforce who receive proper support and recognition for their work."What drives up standards is a well-funded education system and a teaching workforce who receive proper support and recognition for their work.
"My fear is that this policy is worse than misguided - it is downright harmful.""My fear is that this policy is worse than misguided - it is downright harmful."
But schools minister Nick Gibb said that Mr Corbyn's intervention showed that Labour would "reverse the remarkable rise in standards across England's schools since 2010, which has seen 1.4 million more young people in schools rated good or outstanding".But schools minister Nick Gibb said that Mr Corbyn's intervention showed that Labour would "reverse the remarkable rise in standards across England's schools since 2010, which has seen 1.4 million more young people in schools rated good or outstanding".
"While Jeremy Corbyn and Lucy Powell are willing to undo the academisation process which started under Tony Blair and Andrew Adonis, we are determined to create a dynamic school-led system which empowers pupils, parents and school leaders."While Jeremy Corbyn and Lucy Powell are willing to undo the academisation process which started under Tony Blair and Andrew Adonis, we are determined to create a dynamic school-led system which empowers pupils, parents and school leaders.
"It is clear that only the Conservative party will put the interests of children and parents ahead of that of vested interests. Labour should never be trusted to run our schools again.""It is clear that only the Conservative party will put the interests of children and parents ahead of that of vested interests. Labour should never be trusted to run our schools again."
The two biggest teachers' unions, the NUT and NASUWT, are beginning their Easter bank holiday conferences.The two biggest teachers' unions, the NUT and NASUWT, are beginning their Easter bank holiday conferences.
On Saturday, Ms Morgan will be putting the government's case at the NASUWT conference in Birmingham.On Saturday, Ms Morgan will be putting the government's case at the NASUWT conference in Birmingham.
As well as debating the plans for more academies, the teachers' conferences will be debating issues including excessive workload, baseline testing, the misuse of social media and teacher shortages.As well as debating the plans for more academies, the teachers' conferences will be debating issues including excessive workload, baseline testing, the misuse of social media and teacher shortages.