'Humiliating' U-Turn On Forced Academies Plan

The Government has dropped plans to force all schools across England to become academies.

The controversial policy - which risked a potential revolt from Tory backbenchers - is now an "aspiration" rather than a compulsory change.

Two-thirds of secondary schools have already converted into academies - independent schools funded by central government rather than a local authority.

But 15,000 schools are still in local authority control.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) described it as a "huge climbdown" and said the Government's education policy is "in tatters".

Announcing the U-turn, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said No. 10 had "listened" to MPs and the education sector.

"Making every school an academy is the best way to ensure every child, regardless of birth or background, has access to a world-class education," she said.

"I am today reaffirming our determination to see all schools become academies.

"However, having listened to the feedback from Parliamentary colleagues and the education sector we will now change the path to reaching that goal.

"By focusing our efforts on those schools most at risk of failing young people, and encouraging good and outstanding schools to seize the opportunities of conversion, we will ensure the continued growth of the academy programme."

It is the Government's second U-turn this week after it backed down on taking Syrian child refugees from camps in Europe to dodge a backbench rebellion.

:: Major Reversals Show Government's Weakness

It will also leave ministers facing claims of trying to bury bad news as the announcement was made on a day dominated by national election results.

Chancellor George Osborne first announced the policy in March's Budget, saying around 17,000 schools in England would be transformed into academies.

He said all schools would either have to convert by 2020, or be committed to doing so by 2022.

The idea was reaffirmed when the Government released its five-year education white paper.

Unions had argued strongly against the policy, saying it was a move towards privatisation and would create schools run by "unaccountable" trusts.

With the Government's slender majority in the Commons, there was a chance Ms Morgan could have faced a humiliating defeat if she pushed ahead with the plans.

Tory former leadership contender David Davis said it was an "intelligent concession" by the Government.

"Along with a number of my colleagues, I expressed concerns about aspects of the Government's academisation proposals, and the Government has quite rightly considered our concerns and thought again," he added.

Shadow education secretary Lucy Powell said: "It is frankly a humiliating climbdown for David Cameron and his Education Secretary, who just weeks ago were insisting they would plough on with the policy regardless."