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Press Release

Safeguards sought to prevent two-tier education system

26 May 2010

Commenting on the invitation being extended to all schools that they apply for academy status, Dame Margaret Eaton, chairman of the Local Government Association which represents councils in England, said:

"Councils have long been working to give families and children more say over how and where they are educated, and school choice is something councils support. Schools already have considerable independence from local authorities and what academy status offers is more freedom from central government rules, on the curriculum, discipline procedures and the pay and reward of school staff.

"Safeguards will be needed to ensure a two-tier education system is not allowed to develop in a local area, and someone must have responsibility for that. Councils' key priority is that the same quality of education can be offered to all students, whether they are being taught in a community school or in an academy, and that will mean making sure funding is fairly distributed.

"A share of education money is currently invested in providing services for pupils with special educational needs, and those who are excluded from mainstream education. Councils will be seeking urgent reassurances that disadvantaged children will not lose out but will benefit from the same opportunities as other pupils, and I will be raising these points when I meet the secretary of state to discuss his proposals in the coming weeks."



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