Wired-GOV Newswire (news from other organisations)
Printable version

LGA responds to Education Services Grant announcement

Cllr Roy Perry, Chairman of the LGA's Children and Young People Board responds to the announcement that £600 million of savings will be made from the Education Services Grant and that schools will be helped towards academy status.

"The Education Services Grant helps ensure that children are getting the education they deserve, from helping to provide speech, physiotherapy and occupational therapies and making sure that children are in school when they should be, to carrying out DBS checks on staff and providing music services in schools. It also helps to plan for the new school places that are urgently needed, ensuring that every child has a place at a good school near their home. Last year, £815 million was spent on the ESG, so we need urgent clarification on how the £600 million cuts will be achieved, and how quickly, without impacting on welfare and standards.

"The announcement that all schools will be helped towards academy status seems to dismiss the fact that over 80 per cent of council maintained schools are currently rated as good or outstanding by Ofsted. Local authorities should be regarded as education improvement partners rather than as a barrier to change.

"Hundreds of schools, often in disadvantaged areas, are being turned around thanks to the intervention of local councils and it clear that strong leadership, outstanding classroom teaching and effective support staff and governors are the crucial factors in transforming standards in struggling schools, rather than the administrative status.

"Schools spend billions of pounds of public money yet, at present, there is no rigorous accountability for academies that are ‘coasting'; no clear understanding of what happens when one falls into this category; and no risk assessment in place for those rated as good or above. Local democratically elected councils should have a role in this."

Share this article

Latest News from
Wired-GOV Newswire (news from other organisations)

Spotlight on women at Serco – Anita’s story