Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson's education reforms have been branded a "wrecking ball" by shadow secretary Laura Trott, as the Tory minister vowed to "not give up" in having the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill overturned.
Following a Curriculum and Assessment Review, Phillipson will develop a "reformed curriculum" that will be taught in all state schools. The bill will also give councils the power to open all types of schools, not just academies.
Speaking to GB News, Britain's "strictest Headmistress" Katharine Birbalsingh called Phillipson a "Marxist", accusing her of "taking away freedoms" from academies.
Discussing the reforms with Camilla Tominey on GB News, Trott launched a fresh attack on Phillipson's proposed policies, stating they are "absolutely wrong".
When asked by host Camilla Tominey if she agrees that Phillipson is a "Marxist", Trott explained: "I certainly agree that the policies that she's espousing are definitely more Jeremy Corbyn than they are Tony Blair.
"It destroys the cross-party consensus we've had on what improves education over a number of decades, a consensus which has led to English children being the best in the Western world at reading and maths- it is absolutely wrong."
Offering her support for Birbalsingh in her campaign against the Schools Bill, Trott added: "Katharine Birbalsingh has been amazing on this education bill, a bill that is going through the House of Commons that is the policy equivalent of a wrecking ball.
"There is no evidence whatsoever that what is in this schools bill about academies will improve a single school."
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Noting her progress in having the bill overturned, Trott highlighted that the Conservatives fought to have the bill amended to remove the cap on pay for academy teachers - and won.
Trott told GB News: "This bill is going to make schools worse, and that's why I want them to take these academy clauses out of the bill.
"When the bill was introduced, I pointed out that the bill, as it was drafted, capped the pay of teachers in academies. The Government denied this, but it was later proven that it was true, and they've had to amend the bill.
"We've already had a success, and we're going to continue to make the argument about this."
Issuing caution for the impact of the bill on schools, Trott stressed that the policy is simply Labour "kowtowing up to the unions" and will cause "more damage to state schools".
Trott concluded: "The rise in VAT on school fees will do nothing except damage state school education in this country. We already know that the numbers leaving private school are above the estimates that were given by the Government. That means that it's going to cost the Government more money than it's going to save.
"It's going to lead to more pressure on our state school system, more pressure on our SEN system, and that is why it is the wrong thing to do.
"I will not give up because this is so damaging as a set of policies, so I will continue to fight it. But in terms of what motivates it, it must be ideology, because as I said, the evidence is all against this. So it's just kowtowing up to unions, that can be the only thing that can explain it, because it is bad for children and for parents up and down the country."
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Following a Curriculum and Assessment Review, Phillipson will develop a "reformed curriculum" that will be taught in all state schools. The bill will also give councils the power to open all types of schools, not just academies.
Speaking to GB News, Britain's "strictest Headmistress" Katharine Birbalsingh called Phillipson a "Marxist", accusing her of "taking away freedoms" from academies.
Discussing the reforms with Camilla Tominey on GB News, Trott launched a fresh attack on Phillipson's proposed policies, stating they are "absolutely wrong".
When asked by host Camilla Tominey if she agrees that Phillipson is a "Marxist", Trott explained: "I certainly agree that the policies that she's espousing are definitely more Jeremy Corbyn than they are Tony Blair.
"It destroys the cross-party consensus we've had on what improves education over a number of decades, a consensus which has led to English children being the best in the Western world at reading and maths- it is absolutely wrong."
Offering her support for Birbalsingh in her campaign against the Schools Bill, Trott added: "Katharine Birbalsingh has been amazing on this education bill, a bill that is going through the House of Commons that is the policy equivalent of a wrecking ball.
"There is no evidence whatsoever that what is in this schools bill about academies will improve a single school."
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
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Noting her progress in having the bill overturned, Trott highlighted that the Conservatives fought to have the bill amended to remove the cap on pay for academy teachers - and won.
Trott told GB News: "This bill is going to make schools worse, and that's why I want them to take these academy clauses out of the bill.
"When the bill was introduced, I pointed out that the bill, as it was drafted, capped the pay of teachers in academies. The Government denied this, but it was later proven that it was true, and they've had to amend the bill.
"We've already had a success, and we're going to continue to make the argument about this."
Issuing caution for the impact of the bill on schools, Trott stressed that the policy is simply Labour "kowtowing up to the unions" and will cause "more damage to state schools".
Trott concluded: "The rise in VAT on school fees will do nothing except damage state school education in this country. We already know that the numbers leaving private school are above the estimates that were given by the Government. That means that it's going to cost the Government more money than it's going to save.
"It's going to lead to more pressure on our state school system, more pressure on our SEN system, and that is why it is the wrong thing to do.
"I will not give up because this is so damaging as a set of policies, so I will continue to fight it. But in terms of what motivates it, it must be ideology, because as I said, the evidence is all against this. So it's just kowtowing up to unions, that can be the only thing that can explain it, because it is bad for children and for parents up and down the country."
Find Out More...