Conservative plans to give regional commissioners additional powers to intervene in any school judged to be "inadequate" by Ofsted have raised further concerns that councils could be cut adrift from the improvement agenda and make it harder for them to support vulnerable children.
Under the plans, set for inclusion in the Conservative Party's election manifesto, regional commissioners would be able to recommend that a state, academy or free school implements tougher policies on standards, behaviour and leadership from the moment a negative judgment is passed.
They would be able to bring in specialist behaviour experts to improve classroom discipline and make changes to the make-up of a governing body if they thought the move would lead to improved outcomes for the school.
Local authorities have long been arguing for similar responsibilities, particularly in relation to academies and free schools over which they currently have limited influence.
But Alan Wood, president of the Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS), says the proposals come as a "partial but tacit acceptance" of the need for a "strong local middle tier of intervention and moderation sitting between national government and schools".
He says: "If that principle is now finally recognised, it seems only sensible that the model should be designed properly and work with rather than against existing capacity and accountability."
Wood maintains that councils must play a part in supporting failing schools and says the plans for regional commissioners to lead improvement would fail to tackle the problem. In addition, he says the proposals, if they were ever to be implemented, would further centralise control of the education system, removing local authorities from the picture.
A significant negative impact of such a move would be that councils' input in the wider wellbeing of children could be lost. Woods says councils' expertise in vital areas such as child protection and safeguarding helps them to provide a well-rounded package of support that schools can tap into.
"ADCS believes that the business of school improvement is most effective when driven locally by schools, local authorities and other partners working in collaboration with central government," he says.
"Local authorities have senior professional advisers for a whole range of activities - safeguarding, social care, public health and more. Education is no different.
"They remain legally accountable for this activity and for what happens to our children, despite new forms of school structure and the withdrawal of resources for the job to be done properly."
Kevin Courtney, deputy general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, says the proposals come as an admission that the recent fragmentation of the education system was a "major mistake".
He believes councils are best placed to lead improvement and says that any additional resources should be invested in children's services, not commissioners.
"The education service provides best value for money and best outcomes for young people when it is co-ordinated and coherent," Courtney says. "This can only be achieved by local councils, with adequate budgets for excellent education departments."
Josh Coleman, education principal at crime reduction charity Nacro, says that with an average of 3,000 schools in each of their regions, commissioners cannot have the necessary knowledge of the specific needs of the schools and pupils they may be expected to help.
"With the raising of the age of participation, many vulnerable young people are already missing out on specialist intervention because schools are increasingly holding on to students in an effort to retain government funding - even if the learners are no longer attending classes," Coleman says.
"To ensure these young people do not slip though the net, we need to have locally accountable experts with knowledge of local schools who can intervene to ensure their needs are being met."
Coleman adds that the plans would further undermine the role of local authorities, particularly in regards to ensuring children with special educational needs receive the right support.
Sonia Blandford, chief executive of Achievement for All 3As, takes a different view and says regional commissioners would be more likely to drive improvement.
"The demise of local authority strategic powers and operational support for schools, lack of leadership from the national college and the challenge to academy chains and free school boards to provide middle tier support has generated a vacuum in the system," she explains. "Councils no longer have the influence or resources needed to provide improvement support for all schools."
Blandford says strong leadership is key to turning around poor performing schools and believes that regional commissioners, who all have experience of leading schools and other educational institutions, have the right capabilities to do so.
AT-A-GLANCE GUIDE TO REGIONAL SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS
- There are eight commissioners covering eight regions
- They officially came into post at the start of September
- Commissioners are responsible for making decisions about academies and free schools on behalf of the Education Secretary
- Their duties include intervening in underperforming academies, deciding on the creation of new academies and encouraging organisations to become academy sponsors
- They are supported by head teacher boards, made up of experienced academy leaders
- They are accountable to Frank Green, national schools commissioner
