There is a need for more transparency and accountability in the regional “layer” of the schools system, Bridget Phillipson has said today.
Labour’s shadow education secretary was responding to a question from Tes at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) annual conference in Liverpool today, after setting out her priorities in a speech.
Ms Phillipson’s comments come after incoming ASCL general secretary Pepe Di’Iasio urged the next government to “shine a greater lens on the middle sector”, which includes the Department for Education’s regional directors.
Asked during a session with press whether more scrutiny was needed over this tier of decision-making given the influence of regional directors within the school system, she said: “I agree that there does need to be more transparency, more accountability in terms of that layer of the system.”
Labour has previously committed to sending regional school improvement teams - comprised of local teachers and heads and managed by civil servants - to schools identified as having weaknesses during Ofsted inspections.
Ms Phillipson said today that the improvement teams would create a “clearer relationship” between their work and the role of the DfE, and provide a “real focus on how they can support and drive improvement within schools”.
This focus is currently “missing from the system”, she said, adding that an absence of support is why “schools that are facing challenge and have faced challenge for some time are not making the improvement that they would want to see”.
‘Gap’ in trust-level inspection
In her conference speech this morning, Ms Phillipson spoke of Labour’s plans to “bring inspection to every part of the system”, including multi-academy trusts.
“It is clear that there is a real gap when it comes to trust-level inspection alongside the inspection that takes place within schools,” the shadow education secretary said afterwards.
Ms Phillipson also said she hoped an Ofsted “culture shift” would encourage more school leaders to “become involved in the work of Ofsted, to take part in those inspections”.
Ofsted chief Sir Martyn Oliver has also previously said he would like headteachers to become more involved in inspection.
Labour has ‘early focus’ on SEND
The shadow education secretary also said that Labour would have an “early focus” on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), but stopped short of setting out a plan.
“What I’m determined to do if we win that next election, is to have an early focus on reforming the system,” Ms Phillipson said.
“Far too many of the problems that we’re seeing at the moment are coming about because of long waiting lists, a lack of early intervention or lack of early health,” she added.
Keegan’s punch comment ‘demeans’ role
Ms Phillipson also called out education secretary Gillian Keegan for saying yesterday that she would have probably “punched” a rude Ofsted inspector.
“This is sadly another example of the way in which Gillian Keegan has demeaned her office as secretary of state,” the shadow minister said.
“To do so in front of an audience of school leaders, many of whom are themselves Ofsted inspectors and take that responsibility very seriously…It’s frankly pathetic,” she added.
No update on recruitment plans
Ms Phillipson did not provide a concrete update when asked by Tes on Labour’s plans to recruit 6,500 more teachers if it forms the next government.
She said that the party planned to make teaching “a much more attractive place for graduates to go”, adding that a “shift of tone” from government is necessary to retain the school workforce.
School funding and teacher pay
On funding, Ms Phillipson said that the next government “will face one of the hardest fiscal inheritances of modern times”.
Last month, the government missed the deadline to submit written evidence to the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) over teacher pay for next year.
And a week after the missed deadline, the government told the STRB that teachers’ pay rises should be lower than the past two years and return to “a more sustainable level” next year.
Ms Phillipson said in her speech today that, while this year the government “had the chance” to submit its evidence to the pay review body on time, it was “later than last year”.
“A clearer signal they could not send,” she added.
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