Every English school to become an academy, ministers to announce
Education bill, set to be published within days, will take every single school in England out of local government control.
Legislation to turn every school in England into an academy independent of local authority control will be unveiled in the budget on Wednesday.
Draft legislation, to be published within days, will begin the process of implementing a pledge made by David Cameron in his conference speech last autumn.
The prime minister said his “vision for our schooling system” was to place education into the hands of headteachers and teachers rather than “bureaucrats”.
The move follows criticism of the government for going into stasis during the referendum campaign. Cameron and the chancellor, George Osborne, are keen to show that they are in charge of a “reforming” government.
Sources told the Guardian that the plans would be a key part of Osborne’s budget on Wednesday in order to start the process before officials are forced to shut down work because of the purdah ahead of the May elections and EU referendum.
As the chancellor prepares to announce his budget against the backdrop of a deteriorating economic outlook, the government is keen to show that it is pressing ahead with reforms, despite the looming referendum.
Nicky Morgan, the education secretary, who has been touted as a potential rival to Osborne for the Conservative leadership when the prime minister steps down, is expected to give more details of the plan for the education shake-up when she opens the House of Commons debate on the budget this Thursday.
