LIBERAL Democrat MP John Pugh will today attempt to stop his own government shutting parents out of key decisions about their children’s schools.
The Southport MP will try to prevent schools becoming independent “academies” – setting their own curriculum, teaching hours and pay rates – without parents having “a decisive voice”.
The controversial Academies Bill, to be debated again by MPs today, would allow the decision to be taken by the governing body alone – ignoring the view of parents.
The amendment tabled by Dr Pugh is the first time the MP, an early critic of the coalition government, has attempted to put the brakes on a key part of its agenda.
When the Thatcher government required parental ballots before any school was allowed to opt out of local education authority (LEA) control and become “grant maintained”, most resulted in a “no” vote.
Furthermore, a requirement for ballots to be held would thwart Education Secretary Michael Gove’s hopes of creating scores of academies as early as September.
Ed Balls, Labour’s education spokesman, has already indicated he will back Dr Pugh’s amendment, hailing it as “parent power” in action.
The Southport MP has been a fierce critic of the government’s rush to convert hundreds of top schools into academies, arguing there is no evidence it will raise standards.
