Labour sparks ‘dumbing down’ row as Tories blast plans to make schools less academic

LABOUR wants to dumb down classrooms while refusing to take the blame for the youth jobless crisis, Tories say. Education Secretary Lucy Powell was criticised for saying the “one-size-fits-all” approach to learning has led to a million UK youngsters not being in training or in work. Ministers are considering curriculum changes to ease stress on students Credit: Getty Under-fire Education Secretary Lucy Powell says schools have been stuck in a straitjacket Credit: Getty She was attacked for taking a “fresh look” at what children were being taught as she tried to walk back reforms by Michael Gove, who ran her department in the 2010-14 coalition years. Ministers are considering curriculum changes so teenagers take fewer GCSEs to stop them becoming stressed. Sign up for the Politics newsletter Thank you! Ms Powell says schools have been stuck in a straitjacket of prioritising academic subjects for pupils. She said: “We can no longer ignore that too many get left behind or are turned off by an education system that’s become too single-minded.” She went on: “One million. “That’s how many young people from the education system Michael Gove presided over who are now left outside education, not in employment and not training.” “That is not a coincidence – it’s a consequence. It’s his legacy.” But Laura Trott, the Tories’ Shadow Education Secretary, said: “Labour is using education as a smokescreen for its failures on tax and welfare. Most read in The Sun “Labour is ignoring both recent history and the evidence.” Tory peer Baroness Spielman, former head of schools watchdog Ofsted, said Ms Powell is trying to “deflect responsibility” from tax and minimum wage rises which have reduced job prospects for youngsters. Comment now