The proliferation of academies and free schools under the coalition government has triggered concerns about the extent to which local authorities are able to hold them to account.
With no clarification from central government on the issue, a new Ofsted framework introduced last month has made it clear that authorities will now be inspected on their arrangements for supporting school improvement.
Following the framework's unveiling, chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw has called for local authorities to "step up to the plate" on the matter. He says it is the role of councils to hold head teachers of academies and free schools to account by writing to them if they have concerns, and contacting Ofsted and the Department for Education if appropriate action is not taken. He has pledged that Ofsted will inspect schools where significant concerns are raised.
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