Gove 'liberates' councils from setting educational performance targets

Addressing delegates at the National Children and Adult Services conference, he explained that councils would now be expected to develop their own tailored plans to improve the quality of local provision.

"You will be free to develop new and innovative ways of supporting the vulnerable across your local areas," he said. "With the additional resources we are making available for the education of the poorest two-year-olds, the schooling of all poorer children and early intervention to help those most in need, you will have the funding, and the freedom, to make a real difference."

He went on to announce proposals to accelerate the pace of school improvement, adding that the forthcoming schools white paper will include new minimum "floor standards" for both primary and secondary schools.

"I will be finalising details of new floor standards shortly, for inclusion in my forthcoming schools white paper," he said. "These will apply from January 2011, when we have the verified and final summer 2010 examination data."

To avoid the "stigmatisation" caused by the existing minimum attainment floor targets, Gove pledged to offer schools support at the same time as tackling underperformance.