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Schools to gain greater autonomy
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| Charles Clarke |
Ministers are set to hand greater autonomy to schools under plans likely to be contained in the Queen's Speech.
It is thought an Education Bill likely to be announced today will slim down the role of local education authorities and hand greater autonomy to schools.
Measures may include giving them increased freedom through three-year budgets from 2006 in a bid to prevent a repeat of the 2003 school funding crisis.
Charles Clarke laid out his desire for a "new relationship" with councils in a speech to education authority and social service chiefs in October.
"Your role will... be increasingly about commissioning and working with and through others," he said.
School inspections will also be reformed to bring in shorter, "no notice" inspections and greater self-evaluation, following the publication of a new Ofsted framework in November.
"Ofsted is planning to introduce the... changes from April 2005, and is discussing with the DfES how these changes might be underpinned by changes to the legal framework," the watchdog announced.
Trimming the role of local authorities was just one of the pledges made by ministers in the Department for Education and Skills five-year strategy, published in July this year, which is expected to feed heavily into the Bill.
The government might also use this legislative opportunity to cement measures, detailed in the five-year plan, including increasing sixth form provision.
"In areas where a great deal of new provision is required, we will legislate to hold competitions to improve choice and bring in new providers - including good specialist schools and colleges," said the strategy.
The Bill could also feature changes to school admissions procedures, and a granting of powers to secondary schools giving them the ability to claim foundation status through a vote of the governing body.
It is thought that Cabinet minister Alan Milburn is the driving force behind the legislation as he is keen to maintain the government's "modernising momentum" in the build-up to the general election.
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