Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether all schools classified as coasting will be issued with an academy order.

The Education and Adoption Bill proposes that schools found to be coasting will not automatically be issued with an academy order. Where heads and governors have an effective plan to drive sufficient improvement they will have the time and space to do so. Where this capacity to improve is not evident, the Regional Schools Commissioners will, under the bill, be given the power to require the school to accept support, including making an academy order and bringing in an established academy sponsor where necessary.