CYP Now - NCB Now: Comment - Government should listen to Schools Billconcerns

Following the recent Government defeat over terror laws, politics has suddenly become interesting. Commentators are suggesting that the Schools Bill, due early in 2006, may be the next casualty of disaffection on the back benches.

As I noted in this column two weeks ago, despite a few positives, thewhite paper presaging the Bill was disappointing, and it is hard to findanyone from the children's sector who supports its principles:encouraging schools to gain trust status, opening up governancearrangements to bring in new partners, and reducing the powers of localauthorities.

So what changes should the Government be making to craft acceptable newlegislation?

First, they must strengthen their proposals around admissionspolicies.

Critics fear that trust schools will find ways of rejecting pupils theydon't fancy, including those with special needs or behaviouraldifficulties. The government must ensure this does not happen by makingthe code of practice on admissions mandatory and removing the option fortrust schools to develop their own policies.

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