Overview

• Labour's Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill aims to increase local authority control over academies and enforce the national curriculum.
• Dame Rachel de Souza, the children’s commissioner, expressed concerns that the reforms could slow school improvement and risk decades of progress.
• The bill has faced backlash from academy leaders, who argue that restricting their freedoms undermines their ability to innovate and improve outcomes.
• Labour has amended the bill to ensure no pay cuts for academy teachers, but critics say the changes do not address broader issues with the legislation.
• Supporters of academies highlight their success in raising standards, questioning the need for reforms that limit their autonomy.