Labour is a threat to school freedom, say heads ...as Tories pledge primary school resits
TOP head teachers are warning that a Labour government could threaten school "freedoms" and the coalition's education reforms.
A group of 80 current and former heads of highly-rated schools which enjoy academy-style freedoms have signed a letter warning further regulation could undermine standards in the classroom.
"As school leaders we are concerned that recent statements from Liberal Democrat and Labour politicians suggest they might not protect all the freedoms which schools and teachers now enjoy and which are helping to drive up standards across the board," the letter said.
"Any erosion of school freedoms through LA (local authority) or government regulation or overbearing 'middle tier' structures will reduce the capacity of schools to perform well in the future."
Meanwhile, David Cameron is setting out plans to ensure pupils do not fall behind in English and maths when they start secondary school.
Under the Tory plan, any pupil who does not achieve a good pass in English and maths tests at the age of 11 will be required to take a re-sit in their first year of secondary school.
The Conservatives say it will ensure ppupils who leave primary school unable to read, write or add up properly will have caught up by the time they are 12.
However, Labour said that the scheme was simply an attempt to disguise the Conservatives' "failures" on schools standards.
