Mar 05 2025 23 mins 240
This is the audio from a video we have just published on our YouTube channel – an interview with Katharine Birbalsingh. To make sure you never miss great content like this, subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@spiked
Labour is about to destroy England’s top-performing state schools. That’s the stark warning of Katharine Birbalsingh, head of the Michaela Community School, often dubbed ‘Britain’s strictest headteacher’. Here, Birbalsingh recalls her clashes with Bridget Phillipson, the Labour education secretary. She explains why the government’s new schools bill will drive down academic standards, let bad behaviour slip and make it harder for kids to get into a decent state school. She also discusses the dangers of ‘decolonising’ the curriculum and why schools must cultivate a sense of national belonging.
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Labour is about to destroy England’s top-performing state schools. That’s the stark warning of Katharine Birbalsingh, head of the Michaela Community School, often dubbed ‘Britain’s strictest headteacher’. Here, Birbalsingh recalls her clashes with Bridget Phillipson, the Labour education secretary. She explains why the government’s new schools bill will drive down academic standards, let bad behaviour slip and make it harder for kids to get into a decent state school. She also discusses the dangers of ‘decolonising’ the curriculum and why schools must cultivate a sense of national belonging.
Celebrate 25 years of spiked. Donate £25 or more to get a year’s membership of spiked supporters for half the usual price: https://www.spiked-online.com/donate/
Support spiked:
https://www.spiked-online.com/support/
Sign up to spiked’s newsletters:
https://www.spiked-online.com/newsletters/
Order Brendan O’Neill’s After the Pogrom now from:
🇬🇧 📕 Amazon UK:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/After-Pogrom-October-Israel-Civilisation/dp/1068719303/
🇺🇸 📕 Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/After-Pogrom-October-Israel-Civilisation/dp/1068719303/
