Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to review the accountability arrangements of state-funded schools.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State announced, on 4 May, the attached new set of principles for a clearer and simpler accountability system. These can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/principles-for-a-clear-and-simple-school-accountability-system.

It made clear that we will only mandate academy conversion, leadership change or re-brokerage of a school on grounds of educational underperformance if Ofsted has judged it as inadequate. This change has already taken effect.

Regional Schools Commissioners will not contact academy trusts or local authorities at school level on educational performance grounds to discuss the support they need unless a school triggers this through their Ofsted inspection.

In the autumn, the department will be consulting on a transparent and objective way to identify schools that are underperforming and would benefit from an offer of support.