Tristram Hunt MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, responding to the NAO’s report on the DfE’s failure on school oversight, said:

“This report is an utterly damning account of David Cameron’s failure in education. It makes clear that the Government has no plan for tackling poor standards and simply does not know who is responsible for overseeing schools and the safeguarding of children. This failure allowed the shocking ‘Trojan Horse’ events in Birmingham to occur - children were exposed to dangerous, hard-line views for months because no one took any action.

“This Government has created a schools system which is harming education, putting children at risk and wasting public money. Labour will turn this around with robust local oversight of all state schools, with a relentless focus on tackling poor standards, and by making sure all teachers are qualified and highly skilled.”

ENDS