Proposed Education Bill Faces Criticism from Former Ofsted Chief
Amanda Spielman warns government’s education reforms could negatively impact schools in England.
Amanda Spielman, the former chief inspector of Ofsted, has expressed significant concerns regarding the proposed education bill, suggesting it is 'very likely' to detrimentally affect the education system in England.
Spielman, who served as the chief inspector from 2017 until 2023, highlighted that the proposed changes prioritize unions over the needs of children.
Her remarks were made during an appearance on BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme, where she pointed to the historical progress achieved in English education over the past two decades, particularly the introduction of academy schools that enjoy more autonomy than traditional council-maintained schools.
Spielman cited the potential legislative changes proposed by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson as a serious regression from this trajectory.
As the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is set to be debated in Parliament, an interim report on the government’s curriculum and assessment review is also anticipated.
Spielman criticized the proposals for including measures that would enforce stricter guidelines on academies, such as requiring them to follow the national curriculum and only employ qualified teachers.
Spielman stated, 'For over 20 years now we’ve had a steady policy of giving schools and academy chains quite significant levels of autonomy, balanced by strong accountability, and over that time it’s very clear that the performance of the English system relative to others has been very strong.' She expressed concern that the current government initiatives signal a shift towards centralization, which she believes could undermine educational quality.
The bill has sparked a heated response from government officials, with a spokesperson for No 10 urging Spielman to focus on her own record at Ofsted, stating that confidence in her leadership had eroded among the teaching profession.
Spielman countered this remark, suggesting it reflected union interests rather than objective accountability.
Daniel Kebede, the general secretary of the National Education Union, refuted government claims that Spielman was echoing union sentiments, framing the bill as an important step toward establishing equitable educational standards.
He criticized the government for not going far enough in reforming the educational landscape.
A spokesperson for the Department for Education defended the legislation, asserting that the changes aim to ensure that every child has access to a high-quality local school and to enhance the capabilities of teachers in the classroom.
The bill includes provisions for stricter oversight of home education and aims to create registers for children not attending school.
The debate surrounding the bill reflects broader tensions in UK education policy, particularly in balancing autonomy and accountability within the school system.
Spielman, who served as the chief inspector from 2017 until 2023, highlighted that the proposed changes prioritize unions over the needs of children.
Her remarks were made during an appearance on BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme, where she pointed to the historical progress achieved in English education over the past two decades, particularly the introduction of academy schools that enjoy more autonomy than traditional council-maintained schools.
Spielman cited the potential legislative changes proposed by Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson as a serious regression from this trajectory.
As the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill is set to be debated in Parliament, an interim report on the government’s curriculum and assessment review is also anticipated.
Spielman criticized the proposals for including measures that would enforce stricter guidelines on academies, such as requiring them to follow the national curriculum and only employ qualified teachers.
Spielman stated, 'For over 20 years now we’ve had a steady policy of giving schools and academy chains quite significant levels of autonomy, balanced by strong accountability, and over that time it’s very clear that the performance of the English system relative to others has been very strong.' She expressed concern that the current government initiatives signal a shift towards centralization, which she believes could undermine educational quality.
The bill has sparked a heated response from government officials, with a spokesperson for No 10 urging Spielman to focus on her own record at Ofsted, stating that confidence in her leadership had eroded among the teaching profession.
Spielman countered this remark, suggesting it reflected union interests rather than objective accountability.
Daniel Kebede, the general secretary of the National Education Union, refuted government claims that Spielman was echoing union sentiments, framing the bill as an important step toward establishing equitable educational standards.
He criticized the government for not going far enough in reforming the educational landscape.
A spokesperson for the Department for Education defended the legislation, asserting that the changes aim to ensure that every child has access to a high-quality local school and to enhance the capabilities of teachers in the classroom.
The bill includes provisions for stricter oversight of home education and aims to create registers for children not attending school.
The debate surrounding the bill reflects broader tensions in UK education policy, particularly in balancing autonomy and accountability within the school system.
