Education secretary Nicky Morgan has placed the Education and Adoption Bill 2015 before Parliament, setting out plans to force all "inadequate" schools to convert to academy status and make all "coasting" schools eligible for intervention.
In a statement, the Department for Education (DfE) has said that "coasting" schools would be put on a "notice to improve" and given support from a team of expert headteachers, but that those that do not show improvements will see their leadership replaced.
Officially recognising "coasting" schools as being eligible for intervention will also mean that the DfE can push for them to be taken over by academy chains.
However, despite the Bill being submitted to Parliament on Wednesday, June 3, as Headteacher Update went to press no definitive explanation of what a "coasting" school actually is had been published.
Russell Hobby, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said the government "can't delay this information any longer". He added: "The government has provided some extra detail on its approach to so-called 'coasting' schools, outlining a process of warning, support then replacement of leaders. This provides more reassurance, as requested, but it has still, crucially and unhelpfully, failed to define what it means by coasting. This creates unnecessary fear and confusion."
Previously, the term "coasting" has been linked to the Ofsted rating of requires improvement, but Ms Morgan has also recently linked it to pupil progress. She told the BBC last month that while schools in Ofsted's category of "requiring improvement" would indeed be targeted under the coasting policy, it would also be "about (student) progress" and whether students are "reaching their potential".
The Education Bill has also drawn widespread criticism because of its plans to forcibly convert all "inadequate" schools into academies.
Critics argue that academy status is not a silver bullet for school improvement and point to an Education Select Committee report in January in which MPs concluded that "current evidence does not prove that academies raise standards overall or for disadvantaged children".
Critics have also pointed to the fact that 18 academy chains have been prevented from expanding further because of concerns about standards in their schools.
There is further anger over plans in the Bill that would see the duty to consult local stakeholders over academy conversion scrapped for "inadequate" schools being forced to convert. Any "coasting" school that ends up converting would also not be required to consult locally.
Ms Morgan said: "(This) landmark Bill will allow the best education experts to intervene in poor schools from the first day we spot failure. It will sweep away the bureaucratic and legal loopholes previously exploited by those who put ideological objections above the best interests of children."
However, Mr Hobby added: "Parents who have campaigned against the opaque and centralised process of academisation will be dismayed to see themselves dismissed as obstacles to be eliminated.
"To suggest some distinction between 'education experts' and campaigners against academisation is wrong – especially when the evidence for the performance of academies is so weak. There are as many education experts that remain sceptical about academisation as there are who are supportive."
Chris Keates, NASUWT general secretary, added: "Abusing the legislative process to seek to gag critics and stifle opposition is a chilling theme running through far too many of this government's legislative plans."
The Education Bill: An outline
The Education and Adoption Bill 2015 sets out plans that will see "coasting" schools become eligible for intervention, including potential academy conversion. The Bill, however, does not define what "coasting" means, but states: "The secretary of state may by regulations define what 'coasting' means in relation to a school."
The Bill also sets out proposed legislation that will require the secretary of state to make academy orders in respect of any schools considered to be "requiring significant improvement or schools requiring special measures".
Currently, two per cent of the more than 16,000 primary schools in England are rated as "inadequate" – although these figures include schools already converted to academy status.
Around 13 per cent of primary schools are now academies and free schools.
On coasting schools, the 12-page Bill, which updates provisions in the Education and Inspections Act 2006 and the Academies Act 2010, states: "A maintained school is … eligible for intervention if the governing body of the school have (sic) been notified that the secretary of state considers the school to be coasting."
On academy conversion, it adds: "The secretary of state must make an academy order in respect of a maintained school in England that is eligible for intervention by virtue of Section 61 or 62 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 (schools requiring significant improvement or schools requiring special measures)."
The plans would also scrap duties contained within the Academies Act 2010 for consultation over academy conversion for schools categorised as "coasting" or "inadequate". Consultation duties would remain for "good" or "outstanding" schools seeking to convert.
The Bill states that the secretary of state may "specify the period within which any steps must be taken" by a school's governing body to facilitate academy conversion for "coasting" or "inadequate" schools.
The text of the Education and Adoption Bill is available at http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2015-16/educationandadoption.html