Who is running schools policy?

Perhaps it's inevitable in a coalition, or perhaps it's inevitable in this coalition, that policy seems to be made in all sorts of odd places. The Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, and the Secretary of State and his junior ministers, all seem to have something to say about schools, and it doesn't always seem joined up.

The most recent announcement by the Deputy Prime Minister that schools will be set targets to improve social mobility seems at odds with the general principle set out by the Secretary of State that schools should determine their own priorities.

As always, though, the proof of the pudding will be in the accountability system. If there are performance tables that matter, and Ofsted inspections that really do reward improvements in social mobility – and sanction schools that fail to do so – then we will see real changes in behaviour.

I believe that the Deputy Prime Minister's intentions are good – but I remain very sceptical about whether they will be transformed into reality. But it will be very interesting to see how the increasing funding for the pupil premium – £2.5bn or 5% of the total spend by 2014/15 ¬– will impact on school behaviours, both in terms of admissions and what schools actually do in terms if improved educational achievement.