EducationGuardian.co.uk | Schools special reports | Labour party members voice opposition to school reforms

Labour party members voice opposition to school reforms

Patrick Wintour, political editor
Monday March 13, 2006
The Guardian

The resolve of Labour backbench rebels to oppose Tony Blair's education reforms will be strengthened today by the first opinion poll of Labour party members showing widespread opposition to many of its central proposals. A clear majority put fair access in education well ahead of choice, and defend the role of local councils in managing their schools.

The poll, given exclusively to the Guardian, has been conducted among 800 party members by You.Gov in the past three weeks. It was commissioned by the pressure group Compass and is the first of its kind. The results will give succour to backbenchers resisting Labour whips ahead of Wednesday's vote.

The poll shows a two-to-one majority of party members want local authorities to manage the expansion of successful schools, rather than giving local schools the freedom to expand. Only 5% support the government's original view that all new schools should be set up and run by outside organisations.

Only a quarter support the current government view that most new schools should be run by outside organisations, with the education secretary having the power to allow local authorities to set up some new schools. Instead a clear majority, 60%, think local authorities should have the power to set up new schools without the secretary holding a veto.

Jon Trickett, the MP for Hemsworth and a leading rebel, said: "The poll reveals there will be a price to be paid by Labour if this bill is passed, and it will be paid by a reduced level of activism. Overwhelmingly party members do not feel comfortable with key tenets of the bill."

Neal Lawson, the chair of Compass, said: "This is not a Labour bill. It will be hugely disappointing if a Labour government relies on the support of Tory MPs to get its education policies through. Party members want local democratic accountability of schools based on fair access."

In crucial findings, 80% of party members disagree that external sponsors of trust schools should have "some influence" over what those schools teach.

Eighty-four per cent say that "all trust schools should be accountable to local communities via a majority of elected representatives on the governing body". Clear majorities among every demographic and ideological group take this view. At present the bill allows for the majority of those on the governing body to be independent of local parents and local authorities. Eighty per cent want all parent governors of trust schools to be elected by parents of children at the school, a position rejected in the bill.

The survey also finds a clear majority support the principle of fair access over choice. Respondents were asked which should have the highest priority: fair access, so that children from all backgrounds have an equal chance of going to good schools; maximum choice, so that the largest possible number of parents are able to send their children to their first-choice school; or a diverse range of provision, so that there is a wide selection of different types of school within a local area. A total of 72% regarded fair access as the most important priority. Only 13% opted for maximum choice and 11% for diversity.

Fifty-six per cent of party members want LEAs to manage the allocation of places at local secondary schools, while 36% back the government's proposal to let schools decide whom to admit, subject to a code of practice designed to ensure that children from all backgrounds have an equal chance. Just 4% think schools should be completely free to choose.

More than half, 51%, want selection by ability banned in state schools, in effect supporting the abolition of the remaining grammar schools. But among this group, 79% agree that other priorities for improving school standards are more urgent.

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