Schools minister Nick Gibb to make education reforms case to teachers

Schools minister Nick Gibb will come face-to-face with teachers when he makes the case for the Government's flagship education reforms.

The Bognor MP is due to take part in a question and answer session at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) conference in Liverpool on Monday, as educational professionals continue to raise concerns over plans to strip 17,000 English primaries from state control and make them privately run within six years.

Teaching staff have raised concerns over quality and accountability that the so-called "fragmentation" of the education system would cause.

The academisation plans, announced in the Budget last month, prompted protests from unions in cities across the country who said they were concerned about removing schools from local authority control.

Mr Gibb is expected to be followed at the conference by Labour's shadow education secretary, Lucy Powell.

Ms Powell, who has spoken out against academisation, will be looking to receive a reception similar to that of her party leader, after Jeremy Corbyn was given a standing ovation by members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) in Brighton on March 25.

A day later, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan was heckled by pockets of NASUWT union members during their annual summit in Birmingham.

The ATL conference runs until Wednesday, and will see members voting on motions using electronic devices for the first time.

Motions are expected to cover topics including workload, sexist bullying and teaching standards, as well as handwriting and the benefits of school gardening.