Dealing with angry residents might be a challenge, but the minister for schools and learners claims getting involved and meeting people, particularly young people, is one of the best bits of his job.
"I taught for 20 years so I love going to visit schools, especially in challenging areas," he says.
Which is just as well, given that many of Labour's key education policies centre on raising standards in the toughest schools.
Coaker believes the academies programme is making a difference to children and young people in the most deprived communities. Exam results at academies are improving at twice the rate of other schools, he says.
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