A silver thread of accountability runs through the fabric of education in England. Schools are held to account through a regime of inspections introduced almost two decades ago. The previous Labour government used the system to take over schools that fell short, reorganising and reopening them as "academies" that have greater control over what they spend their money on and how doggedly they pursue the national curriculum. On May 27th the new education secretary, Michael Gove, was due to introduce legislation to let schools deemed outstanding by inspectors join the ranks of these favoured few.
展开▼
