Academic freedom is 'much more important' than students getting offended, Education Secretary says

Universities will have to roll out codes of conduct to protect freedom of speech, the Education Secretary has said.

Bridget Phillipson told the House of Commons that academic freedom is “much more important than the wishes of some students not to be offended”, as she announced she was set to trigger several provisions in the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act.

The Act, which was passed by the previous Conservative government, could have seen universities and student unions in England fined for failing to secure freedom of speech.

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This was initially put on hold by Labour last summer due to concerns it was “potentially damaging” to student welfare and “burdensome” for universities.

However, after “extensive engagement covering all corners of the debate” Ms Phillipson has now said she will trigger parts of the act.

These will include universities taking “reasonably practicable steps to secure and promote freedom of speech within the law” and putting in place a code of conduct on this.

She said: “The ability of our academics to explore and express new ideas through teaching and research is precious and we must protect it.

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“And these fundamental freedoms are more important – much more important – than the wishes of some students not to be offended. University is a place for ideas to be exposed and debated, to be tried and tested.”

Non-disclosure agreements for staff and students in relation to bullying and harassment will also be banned.

Ms Phillipson also clarified that there would be “no ceiling” to what school leaders can pay their teachers under the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

There had been fears that academies would lose existing freedoms which allow them to offer higher pay to staff.

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The Bill, which had its second reading in Parliament last week, aims to ensure all state schools – academies and those run by local authorities – follow the same pay and conditions framework.

Academies, which are independent of local authorities, currently have the freedom to set their own pay and conditions for staff, and some exceed the national pay scales for teachers.

Addressing the Education Select Committee yesterday, Ms Phillipson said there had been “confusion” and “worry” over how the Bill will affect teachers’ pay.

When asked whether a headteacher will be able to pay a teacher above the maximum threshold for their grade under the plans, the Education Secretary said: “Yes, because there will be a floor but no ceiling.”

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She added: “We want a solid floor for all teachers working across the profession with clear expectations about what it means to be a teacher so that every school has the freedom to innovate and go beyond.

“I think it’s become clear to me there’s been some confusion and some worry about what I’ve said in this area so today I want to be absolutely clear that all schools will have full flexibility to innovate with a floor and no ceiling on what that means.

“Because we all know the challenges that schools across the country are facing at the moment around recruitment and retention, but that innovation, that flexibility, that excellence – much of which we have seen within the academy system – I want to be available to all schools.”

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