Local Government and Schools

What role for councils in a 21st century education system

Author: Dr Andrew Povey, Rachel Wolf, Matthew Burgess, Tom Shakespeare - Dec 18, 2009

In this edition of Policy Platform we discuss what the future role of local government in the education system should be. This is a topic which has divided opinion in the past, so we have assembled three leading thinkers in this field to discuss the topic to establish what the fault lines are, and how they may be solved.

The first article is by Dr Andrew Povey, the Leader of Surrey County Council. He argues that the current system is muddled and ineffective. Instead he describes a model whereby the council takes on a commissioning role, allowing them to create the market, set standards and put downward pressure on cost. He also suggests that as part of this role, the local authority would be responsible for scrutiny of schools. This model, he argues, would provide better clarity to all parties concerned and would put local government in the driver seat for educational attainment.

The article by Matthew Burgess from the Independent Schools Council comes from a rather different perspective. In it he argues that local government encroachment on independent schools is damaging to the schools as it fosters a culture of compliance. He argues that ‘independence and quality go hand in hand’.

In the final article by Rachel Wolf from the New Schools Network, she agrees that local government should step out of the way, and that schools should be independent from both central and local government controls. She makes the point that schools should be accountable for how well they educate children, not how they do it. She makes the case that innovation and variety are important features of a good schooling system, but also that there may be an important role for local authorities in supporting independence in the future. She outlines a number of reasons why local authorities will be important, but concludes: “Local government must radically rethink its role. They must do it now before events overtake them”

The arguments in favour and against local government involvement in this Policy Platform are not entirely irreconcilable. According to the authors writing here, there is certainly a role for local government to take on a broad commissioning role in the future. There is also a strong case for reducing the burdensome process of assessment of schools, especially around government intervention over processes. It is clear that there is a role for local government in the future, but councils will have to radically rethink what that role is. These articles provide some useful thinking about what that future role might be.

To read the publication in full, please click here