The article reports that the new Education Secretary is facing criticism over past comments in which they reportedly described school spelling tests as “ridiculous”. The remarks have drawn attention because the role carries responsibility for education standards, including literacy, and opponents argue that they sit uneasily with expectations for improving pupils’ reading and writing.

The controversy centres on the apparent contrast between the minister’s earlier view of formal spelling assessments and the Government’s responsibility for setting curriculum and assessment policy. It comes amid continued debate over the value of spelling, punctuation and grammar tests in primary schools, which supporters see as a way to measure core skills while critics consider them overly narrow or stressful.