The Education and Children’s Bill announcement, made in the Queen’s Speech (25 May) expands on the Conservative’s electoral promise of ‘free’ schools and outlines how all schools in England and Wales can move to Academy status.
Education Secretary Michael Gove is writing to all 20,000 schools inviting them to become Academies, leaving local authority control. The best performing schools will be fast-tracked to Academy status in the government’s new Bill, to take immediate effect.
“Over 90 per cent of schools are within the state system so this could bring about tremendous change within education,” comments Tom Shewry, Head of Education, Zurich Municipal.
“The decision to reduce or reject local authority support is a significant one. Schools considering leaving local authority management and those wanting to set up free schools will have to consider carefully the many serious, associated risks.”
Tom lists some of these risks: “Schools would have to ensure that educational and pastoral care of pupils is appropriate and also meets standards and criteria laid down by the Human Rights Act and Failure to Educate legislation. They will take on the role and responsibilities of education provider currently with local authorities, which can be burdensome and which LAs are specifically set up to tackle.”
Insurance and risk management guidance will have to be sourced outside of local authority arrangements, which will inevitably mean higher costs due to lower deductibles and the inability to share risk over a number of schools , warns Tom.
School buildings
Zurich Municipal is concerned that although funding has been ring-fenced for education this will not go towards new or improved buildings for schools changing status. “The Building Schools for the Future programme has been curtailed and we want to make sure school buildings continue to improve and new ones are fit for purpose,” comments Tom.
The Queen’s Speech on education is at: www.number10.gov.uk
More information on this Bill will become available from the Department for Education at: www.education.gov.uk
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