Schools Bill withdrawn

Education unions have welcomed the announcement that the Schools Bill, which included forcing every school to join an academy trust, will not be going ahead.

NEU education union joint general secretary Kevin Courtney said the Bill focused on the wrong priorities.

He added: “As a result of the abandonment of this misguided Bill, leaders and schools can focus on collaboration, retaining staff and outcomes for their students, rather than structures and DfE [Department for Education] dogma.”