This is a Special report which is the Government response received by the committee to its earlier report.
The Government is very grateful to the Committee for its Inquiry into this important matter, and for its considered report based on a wide range of written and oral evidence, including that presented by the Department for Education and Ofsted.
This Government thinks schools should be run by education experts, not politicians, which is why the school system in England is characterised by high autonomy, exemplified by our academies programme, but widely evident beyond it, with schools having the freedom to develop and implement highly ambitious, knowledge rich curricula to meet pupils’ needs and prepare them well for the future.
It is this autonomy and freedom for schools, combined with strong and intelligent accountability, including the publication of performance information, independent inspection, and action based on the outcomes of inspections, that is helping to drive up standards, and leading to England’s increasingly successful school system.
