- guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 19 September 2007 13.01 BST
On an independent education standards authority
Just as the independent Bank of England brought stability and credibility to one aspect of economic policy, we should do the same for education.
So my ... proposal today is that we consider establishing a fully independent Educational Standards Authority, to replace the government-controlled Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.
The aim: to restore confidence in our exam system, to restore stability to the curriculum, to drive up standards, by spreading best educational practice.
It is time to bring to an end the ill-considered meddling by "bog standard" ministers.
On school admissions
It is local authorities who should oversee fair admissions, help drive up standards and support smaller schools. And local authorities must have more financial freedom - with powers to add to national funding.
But schools shouldn't have the soft option of picking the best pupils. It should be the parents and pupils who are empowered to choose their schools. That is why I believe that the power to select - by the front door or the back door - should be removed from academies, specialist schools, trust and foundation schools.
If we believe in empowering parents and pupils, part of that empowerment is choice. Choice is not a dirty word: it is one of the essential freedoms in a liberal society... We should welcome new schools - as they do in many progressive countries - so long as those schools accept overarching admissions policies and the minimum curriculum standards.
On giving schools more say over the curriculum
We must allow more innovation. It is absurd that only the government's pet schools should have the powers to innovate. These freedoms should be available in every school.
