NASUWT comments on the speech by the secretary of state for academies and free schools

Thursday, 5 January 2012 9:21 AM

Commenting on today's speech on academies by the Secretary of State, Michael Gove, Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, the largest teachers' union, said:

"No one will be surprised that the first formal speech of the New Year made by Michael Gove was about academies, delivered in an academy. Another year, another series of speeches on academies.

"The Secretary of State consistently focuses on promoting his academisation project.

"Despite the spin he puts on the figures, the fact is that only just over 1,500 schools out of the country's 23, 000 are academies.

"Despite the fact that there is not one shred of evidence, however much he seeks to manipulate it, that Michael Gove's academisation project raises standards.

"As it is clear that Michael Gove now considers himself to be the Secretary of State for academies and free schools, rather than the Secretary of State for Education, questions need to be raised about who exactly is promoting the interests of the other 22,000 schools and the children and young people who attend them."


ENDS





Stuart Gannon
NASUWT Press Office

Tel: 020 7420 9681
Mobile (and out of hours contact): 07966 198894
Address: 5 King Street , Covent Garden, London, WC2E 8SD 

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• free schools
,
• michael gove