Tristram Hunt MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, responding to the Institute of Education report concluding that the Government’s flagship free school programme is failing to reach the poorest children, said:

“David Cameron is damaging our education system with his free school programme, taking standards backwards. By allowing unqualified teachers into the classroom and presiding over a widening of the attainment gap between the poorest children and the rest, we are seeing school standards suffer under this Tory-led Government.

“Labour will put an end to this damaging policy by introducing new local Directors of School Standards to raise standards for all children in all schools.”