Children's chiefs key to school reform
Ravi Chandiramani
Friday, July 9, 2010
As the government ploughs full steam ahead with the expansion of academies and free schools, the strategic educational role of local authorities is clearly under threat.
Addressing the Local Government Association (LGA) annual conference last week, Education Secretary Michael Gove said: "Just as I believe strong local government leaders are the best people to drive improvement in children's services departments so I believe great leaders and teachers in our schools are the best people to lead the improvement drive we need in our education system." His desire to see more autonomous self-managing schools is deeply rooted.
Marion Davis, president of the Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS), last week reiterated concerns that the school reforms could create a fragmented, two-tier system. Gove did at the LGA acknowledge councils' role in admissions, exclusions, championing social justice, advocating for children in care and meeting the needs of SEN pupils.
But there are major concerns that the educational needs of the most vulnerable children will be bypassed as more schools become independent of local authority control, and that the admissions process will become unchecked as well as unfair. How can we ensure children from chaotic homes, children in care or traveller children will be catered for? Or those with very particular special educational needs?
To his credit, Gove did also announce the creation of a ministerial advisory group involving the LGA, ADCS and Solace (Society of Local Authority Chief Executives) to "consider what further action should be taken to ensure local government has the powers and support to fulfil its strong, strategic role".
Local authorities must grasp the nettle fast. The government does not have the answers. Children's services chiefs are best placed, through their expertise and oversight, to shape the future. We must ensure that vulnerable children do not slip though the cracks the new educational landscape threatens to create.
A showcase for Positive Images
This week we reveal the winners of the 2010 Positive Images Awards. The awards reward young people for their positive contributions to their communities, plus the media for positive, balanced reporting. As well as our feature, this year we have made a film showcasing their work, packed with interviews and clips of winning entries. Go to PositiveImagesAwards.tv and enjoy.
Ravi Chandiramani, editor, Children & Young People Now
