Tristram Hunt MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, responding to the PAC report ‘Schools Oversight and Intervention’, said:

“David Cameron’s schools policy is harming the life chances of young people, as schools are exposed to undue influence and falling standards are left to go unchecked. The events in schools in Birmingham reveal the weakness in government policy and the failure to prevent radical agendas playing out in our schools.

"Instead of taking decisive action to prevent a repeat, ministers have ruled out tough action.

"Labour will introduce tough oversight of schools, with new Directors of Schools Standards at local level. They will keep a check on all state schools to prevent the sort of incidents that we saw in Birmingham schools and ensure that underperformance is spotted early and challenged so that standards are raised across the country.”