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Parliament's record since 1997: debates, questions, statements, votes, bills, committees and members' interests

Where MPs Stand

Sourced briefings on the record of Parliament

Academies and free schools

Inquiry by the Education Committee, 9 October 2013 to 19 March 2015. Its page on the Parliament website.

Reports and responses

Evidence sessions

  • 5 February 2014: Andrew McCully, Director General for Infrastructure and Funding, Dominic Herrington, Director of Academies Group, Mela Watts, Director of Free Schools Group, and Sue Baldwin, Director of Academies and Maintained Schools Group, Education Funding Agency, Department for Education.
  • 5 March 2014: Andreas Schleicher, Deputy Director for Education and Skills, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
  • 19 March 2014: Gabriel Sahlgren, Research Director at the Centre for Market Reform of Education, Institute of Economic Affairs, Dr. Olmo Silva, Research Associate, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE, Henry Stewart, Founder, Local Schools Network, and Dame Sally Coates, Principal, Burlington Danes Academy; Professor Anne West, Director, Education Research Group, LSE, Sam Freedman, Director, Research, Evaluation and Impact, TeachFirst, Christine Gilbert, Chief Executive, London Borough of Brent, and Mike Cladingbowl, Director of Schools, Ofsted (at 10.30am).
  • 9 April 2014: Lucy Heller, Chief Executive, ARK, John Clarke, Deputy Director of Children's Services - Education and Inclusion, Hampshire County Council, and Emma Knights, Chief Executive, National Governors Association; Sue Higgins, Executive Leader, Local Government, National Audit Office, Anastasia de Waal, Director of Family and Education, Civitas, and Nick Weller, Chair, Independent Academies Association and Executive Principal, Dixons Academies (at 10.30am).
  • 13 May 2014: Frank Green, Schools Commissioner, Sir David Carter, CEO of Cabot Learning Federation and prospective Regional Schools Commissioner for the South West, Robert Hill, education consultant and Visiting Senior Research Fellow, Department of Education and Professional Studies, King's College, London, Natalie Evans, Director, New Schools Network, Rob Higham, Senior Lecturer in Education, Institute of Education, Katie Parlett, Principal of Lighthouse School, Alice Hudson, Executive Headteacher, Twyford Church of England Academies Trust
  • 24 June 2014: Katie Beal, Headteacher, Eastfield Primary School, Kingston-upon-Hull, Wendy Marshall, CEO, David Ross Education Trust, and Emma Hardy, Primary teacher and Vice-President of East Riding NUT; Helen Fulcher, Head of Church Lane Primary School, Lincolnshire, Milorad Vasic, Director of Children and Families, Hull City Council, and Marie-Claire Bretherton, Executive Headteacher, Mount Street Academy (at 11.00am)
  • 2 July 2014: Rt Hon David Blunkett MP; Jay Altman, Chief Executive Officer FirstLine Schools, New Orleans; Theodore Agnew, Sponsor, Inspiration Trust, Non-Executive Board Member and Chair of the Academies Board, Department for Education; Warwick Mansell, freelance education journalist gave evidence
  • 3 September 2014: Rt Rev John Pritchard, Bishop of Oxford and Chair of the Church of England's Board of Education; Sir Daniel Moynihan, Chief Executive Officer, Harris Federation; David Wolfe QC, Matrix Chambers; Vincent McDonnell, Managing Director of Prospects; Martin Pratt, Director for Children, Schools and Families, London Borough of Camden; John Readman, Strategic Director for People, Bristol City Council; Jon Stonehouse, Director of Children's Services, Education and Skills, City of York Council; and David Whalley, Head of Service: Learning, Children and Young People's Services, Calderdale Council, gave evidence.
  • 14 October 2014: Avril Chambers, National Officer for Education Staff, GMB, Kevin Courtney, Deputy General Secretary, NUT, Chris Keates, General Secretary, NASUWT, and Jon Richards, National Secretary, Education and Children’s Services, Pensions & Health and Safety, UNISON
  • 22 October 2014: Rt Hon Nicky Morgan MP, Secretary of State for Education