Legal action threatens to stall academy plan

Lawyers representing the governing body of Downhills Primary, Haringey, north London, have sent a statement of claim to the Department for Education, claiming the Education Secretary is attempting to illegally force academy status on the school.

Mr Gove has a fortnight to respond to the claim or risks facing a judicial review into his decision.

If the school’s action is successful it could stall the Government’s academy programme.

Downhills governor Roger Sahota said: “We are saying the Secretary of State has acted unlawfully by forcing Downhills to become an academy and that action is premature in advance of the next Ofsted inspection.”

Mr Gove highlighted Haringey in his remarks, saying he had been asked “not to challenge” the lowest-performing schools’ leadership.

Plans to force academy status on some schools were challenged at last week’s north of England education conference held in Leeds.