Lessons Learned

The reform of the schools system in England, a process driven by all three major parties, is one of the major achievements of the last twenty years. First introduced under New Labour, the mass roll-out of the academies system, the creation of free schools and reforms to the curriculum and standards were a flagship of the 2010 Coalition and subsequent Conservative governments. Now more than half of all state schools in England are academies, and over 80% of all secondary schools. And this period also saw the introduction of more than 650 free schools across the country.

Major reforms to the curriculum, qualifications and methods of assessment have helped transform English education. The introduction of tests like the Phonics Screening Check and the rollout of Maths Mastery have helped build foundational skills that improve outcomes later on. The introduction of the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) and the shift of emphasis towards a more knowledge-rich curriculum have increased rigour and improved the uptake of tough subjects among disadvantaged pupils.

Since the introduction of these reforms, that there have been major improvements to educational standards in schools in England is undeniable. Now 89% of schools are rated as Good or Outstanding by Ofsted, compared to just 68% in 2009-10. And 96% of schools in London now receive this rating – in 2015 this was just 40%. The creation and expansion of multi-academy trusts (MATs) has helped promote best practice, rewarding innovation and talent in school leadership. These have been particularly important for turning around underperforming schools – seven out of ten sponsored academies now have a positive Ofsted rating. And during prior to the Covid pandemic the disadvantage gap at Key Stage 4 fell.

Schools in England have risen up in international rankings – pupils are now ranked fourth for reading in the western world and England has risen consistently up relative to OECD counterparts in surveys such as PIRLS, PISA and TIMMS. Sadly the same cannot be said for schools in Wales, where education is devolved. There, pupils now perform only as well as the most disadvantaged pupils in England. Challenges undoubtedly remain, particularly with teacher recruitment and retention, SEND provision and educational cold spots. And academisation and free schools have not been spread evenly enough across the country.

The current Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill before Parliament, however, will not address these challenges. By undermining academy freedoms over governance, admissions and recruitment, the Bill risks turning the clock back on the reform agenda. Ending the academisation of underperforming schools and introducing the presumption that new schools will not be academies risks handing power over education back to local authorities and away from the professionals. This report assesses the achievements and remaining challenges of schools reform in England, and lays out principles for what positive further reform would look like. And it urges policymakers responsible for our education system to embrace and complete the successes of schools reform, rather than putting two decades of progress at risk.