A Labour government will 鈥渆nd the needless micro-management鈥 of schools from Westminster, and 鈥渃elebrate the achievements鈥 of both academies and maintained schools, Bridget Phillipson has said. Attacking the recent attempt by ministers to hand themselves unprecedented powers over schools, the shadow education secretary pledged to 鈥渢rust鈥 leaders to know when their schools need help, while also maintaining 鈥渉igh standards鈥. The government recently abandoned its controversial schools bill following widespread criticism from its own benches and attempts by the opposition to bring requirements for academies in line with those for maintained schools. Labour has said it will not support forced academisation, but has also pledged to leave well-performing academy trusts alone. It means the current hybrid will be here to stay if Sir Keir Starmer wins the next election. Speaking at the in Newcastle this afternoon, Phillipson reiterated that her party is 鈥渘ot interested in wholesale structural reform鈥. But she wants to 鈥渟mooth the differences鈥 between the academies and maintained school sectors. She acknowledged the 鈥渕ix and match landscape of maintained and academy schools that a future Labour government would inherit鈥, but insisted the distinction between the two types of school 鈥渕ostly means nothing to parents鈥. 鈥淭hey want a good local school where their children are happy and get the first-class education they all deserve. That will be my focus from government, and I know all types of school can deliver that.鈥 ‘I’m not interested in wholesale structural reform’ However, she warned that the current school system was 鈥渇ragmented, opaque, and over-complex鈥. 鈥淚nstead of one system, we are running several. I鈥檓 not interested in wholesale structural reform. But I do want to smooth the differences.鈥 She reiterated Labour鈥檚 plans to give councils more powers over academy admissions, to make all schools follow the national curriculum and to inspect multi-academy trusts. Her party 鈥渨ill not be imposing top down structures, but we will demand collaboration and cooperation in the best interests of our children鈥. 鈥淚 will celebrate the achievements of academies, of you and your schools across our region. And I will celebrate the achievements of maintained schools where they are delivering for our children.鈥 Phillipson added that she would 鈥渢rust鈥 leaders and schools to 鈥渂e the experts in how children learn and the approach that鈥檚 right in your classroom鈥. Labour will ‘trust you to know when you need help’ She took aim at the abandoned schools bill, which she said showed 鈥渏ust how little trust the Conservatives have in our schools and in our school staff鈥. 鈥淭he secretary of state does not need the power to dictate the length of your school day, the exams children are entered for, what you teach and how you teach it, which staff schools employ and on what terms.鈥 Labour鈥檚 plan for a universal national curriculum 鈥渄oesn鈥檛 mean I want to tell you what books to teach nor how to teach them鈥, Phillipson said. 鈥淚t will not mean limiting your ability to reflect your community or geography within your curriculum. But it will mean that every parent and family knows that their child is entitled to the same core framework underpinning their learning.鈥 Labour will also 鈥渢rust you to know when you need help too鈥, and will 鈥渆nd the needless micro-management from Westminster鈥. But Phillipson added that 鈥渄oes not mean we will not have high standards鈥. She said the current system too often left leaders and teachers feeling 鈥渆xposed and unsupported鈥, and repeated her warning that accountability and inspection 鈥渉as become too high stakes, where the risks of a 鈥榖ad鈥 inspection outweigh the rewards of a good one鈥. Phillipson said her party would also be 鈥渓ooking at how to bring MATs into the inspection system鈥, something Labour has committed-to several times.