“Nick Clegg will be judged on what he does, not what he says. Whatever he says about Free Schools today, the truth is this divisive policy is his - enacted by his Tory-led Government because of his help and support.

 

“The failings at the Al-Madinah Free School - where 400 pupils lost a full week of learning following its closure - are symbolic of the wider problems with the Free Schools policy. Only a week ago, the Lib Dem Schools Minister, David Laws, praised the use of unqualified teachers and the Free Schools programme that the Lib Dems supported through Parliament.

 

“You can’t trust a word Nick Clegg says. It is his support that has led to the failings at the Al-Madinah Free School, the looming crisis in teacher recruitment and the practice of allowing unqualified teachers into classrooms on a permanent basis.”