The Five-Year Strategy for Children and Learners published by Education Secretary Charles Clarke will cover all age groups, but focuses on secondary schools.

Head teachers will gain financial control to aid expansion and obtain foundation status but those schools failing will close or become city academies.

The test though according to Steve Sinnott, the leader of the National Union of Teachers, will be whether the individual needs of each child are met.

What's your opinion on this five-year plan? Will it benefit every child? Or is there a danger that the disadvantaged child will lose out?

This debate has now closed. Thank you for your comments.

The following comments reflect the balance of opinion we have received so far:

Giving increased power to schools and head teachers is all very well but who regulates these all powerful institutions? Already the LEAs can only intervene where schools are manifestly failing their pupils and the DFEE will not get involved unless the tabloid newspapers are involved first. Who do children or parents go to for help in the government's new system when heads and governors present a brick wall as they so often do?
Steve Male, UK

Let schools get on with the job of teaching Mark Lowes, Somerset

Oh they've decided that houses and uniforms are a good thing... again. So in a few years time they'll be telling us all that it fosters all sorts of bad things and recommend doing away with them. I'm sure this is just 'make-work' for civil servants to justify their existence. Let schools get on with the job of teaching and keep the dogma and 'latest fashion in teaching' stuff out of the classroom.
Mark Lowes, Somerset

Education provision has always been moulded by the needs of industry. British industry continues to decline and therefore requires fewer highly educated workers. This is what lies behind the constant attacks on comprehensive education (delivered without controversy at Eton!). There is no point educating children if they have only 'McJobs' to go to. What about fulfilling human potential? League tables and testing are designed to destroy education provision for the many and concentrate resources on the few. And what difference does it make what children wear to school?
Tony Brown, London, UK

Central government experimentation in education over the last 30 years has done more damage than any other single factor to the quality of our school leavers. This scheme, which is not only poorly thought-through but also excludes the little remaining democratic influence on our schools by local councillors is a disgrace and must be opposed.
Graham Shelton, Oxford, England

More choice means more kids being taken longer distances to schools Andrew, Cardif

More choice means more kids being taken longer distances to schools, adding to the already unbearable congestion during the 'school run'. Fewer children will walk or cycle and school bus services will be more complex and therefore further run-down by cash-strapped councils.
The ideas make even less sense in rural areas. If I'd wanted to go to a different secondary school to the local comp in order to pursue a specialism in my chosen subject, I would have had to travel at least 15 miles each way every day.
Andrew, Cardiff

Does this fit in with the key elements of the Tomlinson report? There are some essential proposals in that document; please don't do anything which compromises them.
Martyn, Norwich

So schools are to become "independent specialists". Independent specialists in what? They have to deliver education based on a national standard produced by the government. What's independent about that? Simply more Political Window dressing - or should I say "Spin"?
Terry, Epsom, England

When I went to school in the 1945/56 era we didn't have a choice at all as far as I can remember, our parents got a letter telling us to go to which ever happened to be the nearest school to our home! This was until 11+ exams, then if you were clever enough you could go to a Grammar School. (We got another shot at 13+ for Technical school). It all seemed to work quite well and we received a decent education without the hassle of long journeys to and from school. Lets get back to the 40's and 50's, no choice, go where your told, and bring in a tad more discipline to the classrooms.
Terence H Coleman, Thornton Heath UK

It is all very well putting emphasis on cities, where there is a choice, there is no choice in rural areas. In theory there is a choice but in practice, unless you have the time and resources to get children to other schools, they have to go where the school bus goes, therefore a large proportion of the population are excluded from "choice".
H Cooke, Cambs/lLincs border

Give teachers back their authority and power Sarah Long, Belfast

Despite the constantly changing arguments and policies on funding, uniforms and places the main problem in UK schools these days is the lack of respect teachers are given, both from pupils and pupil's parents. Give teachers back their authority and power, or no-one will get educated. Discipline is vital.
Sarah Long, Belfast

Labour is in real trouble over its education policy. Its non-competitive, lowest common denominator approach has betrayed two generations of children. The reforms described today are pathetically inadequate and do not address the real issue. Bright children learn better with other bright children. Less bright children learn better with other less bright children. It's simple really. When will they finally get it?
Andrew, Worcester, UK

I am involved with maintenance in schools. When GM schools came in head teachers went and spent most of their money on computers and extra staff while the buildings crumbled away. With the legacy of the massive building programmes of the 60s and 70s now needing major repairs or replacement I can see things becoming much worse in the near future unless government starts spending a lot more on capital programmes instead of chipping away around the edges.
Andy, SW UK

Let us get on with our jobs without endless tinkering Jonathan, London

There is a famous quotation which goes "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance" The Government has had seven years in which to demonstrate it's commitment to "Education, Education, Education" but instead of taking the most simple, most effective thing of giving schools more money to spend according to local needs, there have been years of fudge, spin and waffle. This Five Year Plan ignores the realities of the situation - give schools long-term financial stability, trust the head teachers, staff and Governors, and let us get on with our jobs without endless tinkering!
Jonathan, London

School uniforms and houses, has Blair been reading Harry Potter again?
Stuart, Romford, UK

This policy wreaks of a return to old fashioned Victorian schooling. I fear it's simply pandering further to the middle classes and will do very little to help those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Gavin Hayes , Kennington, London

Bring back grammar schools Carol, Billericay, UK

I am sick of reading about how we should focus on the disadvantaged because it is always at the expense of the rest. I was unfortunate because I had to attend a comprehensive school where classes were mixed and the average / clever kids were held back by the disadvantaged - bring back grammar schools and give the average / bright kids a chance - they will pay the taxes in the future!
Carol, Billericay, UK

Isn't it incredible that a Labour party who has attacked grammar schools for decades is now seemingly in favour of selection and uniforms? Surely this just serves to show that this government is out of ideas and out of time!
Jonathan Sheppard, Bassetlaw

Yes! About time. Schools have needed a framework to instil self discipline for many years, ever since the influx of this ridiculous American idea that self expression in all its forms, including not wearing uniform, is best for children. But it isn't. Children need a framework of rules to refer to. Doing away with discipline, and I include uniform in this, simply creates a system in which bullying, lax practices, and the degradation of standards flourish.
Peter Keen, Chichester, England

In fact the only school with an available place for your six-year-old is a twenty-five minute bus ride away Hannah, Brighton

My local authority currently has a policy that means any child in the area can go to any school. In theory. In practice it means that if you move into the area and/or do not have any clout you will be told that the nearest school (which is both good and within walking distance) is full, and the next nearest and the one after that... and in fact the only school with an available place for your six-year-old is a twenty-five minute bus ride away. This, in a city with 45 primary schools, 18 of which are closer than the one we were offered as nearest. So much for choice (and so much for walking to school as well).
Hannah, Brighton, UK

With a bit more grade inflation and statistical manipulation, even this educational window dressing will no doubt be made to look like yet another resounding success for New Labour!
ML, London, England

Most school uniform these days look tatty - big shoes, too short skirts, scruffy sweat shirts. Why not let young people develop a sense of pride and individuality by taking responsibility for their dress. Look at the school parties of French, German and Italian children and compare!
Jenny, Bradford on Avon, UK

This isn't policy, it's pre-emptive spin. It has more to do with being able to shift the blame for failure away from central government than it does about empowering head teachers.
David, Milton Keynes

What about the gifted and able children? All I see in education is the reduction of grammar schools and either catering for the average student, or helping the disadvantaged student.
Helen, Bucks

Seven years ago it was education, education, education. Since then another set of five-year-olds have gone through primary school and a lot of them cannot read or write. With this five-year plan another set of five-year-olds are also condemned to fail. Why cannot the failing politicians go?
Mike, Hampshire

It is a question of high quality motivated teaching staff along with the necessary funding, both of which are lacking in many failing inner city comprehensives Mark, UK

Having attended a failing secondary school is a rough inner city area whilst still managing to go to a good university and get my degree; this is a subject close to my heart. Failing secondary schools are, in my opinion, the largest impediment to real social justice facing disadvantaged working class kids. The solution is actually very basic. Choice and specialising are false arguments. It is a question of high quality motivated teaching staff along with the necessary funding, both of which are lacking in many failing inner city comprehensives.
Mark, UK

What on earth is Blair up to? He couldn't wait to abolish grant maintained schools, but now he is proposing bringing them back! I think he is spooked by the Tories' excellent school plans, and is making this promise merely to stop middle class voters returning to the Conservative fold.
A Howlett, Manchester, England

Surely what we really need is first class education in all subjects (including vocational) at all schools as opposed to all this choice and specialisation. The real losers will be those who can't afford to travel to another school and have to go to their local school be it good or bad.
Chris Turner, Thatcham, UK

Will it really make any difference? I believe that most parents would like good quality local schooling for their children. The children themselves would most likely prefer to receive schooling in their area, with friends they have been with since pre-school. Schools are about much more than just gaining qualifications etc, they provide a social life for many youngsters. Some will resent having to move for school places - they are the future electorate!
Daniel Curwood, Annesley Woodhouse, UK

You can't trust a word Labour says regarding education when their MPs send their children to private schools, whilst heavily criticising others who do the same.
Neil, London, England

A doomed to fail initiative from this failing government.
Ian Baldwin, Buntingford, England

I wonder what will happen to children with special needs. Will even more schools decide that such children should go "anywhere but here".
Mark Thornton, Hertford

The result is likely to be a two tier education system Allan Keen, Bristol

Disadvantaged children already lose out. I trained as a teacher and in two primary schools I taught in disadvantaged children who were not expected to reach the required passes in SATs were given up on. Both these schools decided only to teach, fully, those children who were likely to pass and therefore allow the school to reach the targets for passes set by the government. SATs and targets are a tacit selection process, ideal for independent specialist schools to use in order to get the best pupils.

Disadvantaged children will be further disadvantaged by these processes and they will find it difficult to get into a good school. The result is likely to be a two tier education system. I no longer teach in mainstream schools as I refuse to be a part of these kinds of policies and now work with people with learning difficulties. Education should be accessible to all.
Allan Keen, Bristol

At some point no doubt there will be "independent specialists" who specialise in the disadvantaged. These schools have been successful it can only be an overall advantage to the country's education even if to start with they are only for the more able children. Giving them less good education for the sake of equality is not a sensible option.
James SG, London, England

City Academies - re-branding to hide the truth that these are schools that fail to deliver an educated future workforce.
Charles, Warrington, UK

This government doesn't know what to do best, just ship them in and ship them out; you know the budgets will be spent on extra digestives for the staff room. If they want new books let them steal them from the library like we used to....
Chris Gower, Raleigh, Liverpool

Any short term plan which is dependant on electoral success is destined to try and attract a transient popular vote. We need to take education out of the political arena and make long term plans that straddle generations.
Tim Benson, London, UK

It seems to be a great plan! We had 18 years of the Tories and they gave us schools with leaky roofs and peeling paint, I cannot believe the nerve of Michael Howard, the man is a hypocrite! Now we have a modern education system that is giving our children the education they need (for all not just the few). Well done Tony Blair.
Gary Gatter, London, UK

When will this government make up its mind? I know he pledged Education, Education, Education, but these are people's lives they are playing with. Has no one thought to maybe find a long term solution and stick with it, instead of trying to get quick wins?
Martin, UK