Written Statement - Proposed Education (Wales) Measure

Members will wish to note that further to the announcement in the First Minister’s Statement on the Welsh Assembly Government’s 2010/11 Legislative Programme on 13 July 2010 of the inclusion of an Assembly Measure on Education, I will be writing informally to key stakeholders to provide an outline of my proposals for an Education (Wales) Measure and to seek their initial views.  

My current intention is that the main purpose of this legislation will be to support Local Authorities, Schools and Further Education Institutions to work in a more collaborative way, thus ensuring the best possible service for learners and the most efficient use of public money.  I propose to do this by legislating to enable and compel collaborative working across the sector.

In addition, I propose to legislate to drive up standards in schools governance by improving the capability of governors and Clerks through better support and access to quality training.
 
I will also be seeking views on a proposal to prevent an increase in the number of foundation schools. Each of these schools administers its own admissions, adding to the complexity of the local authority task of planning and providing school places. I therefore currently intend to prevent schools from changing category to become foundation schools, and to prevent any new foundation schools being established. This should retain the status quo in terms of the number of admission authorities, with the aim of ensuring  that, as far as possible, local authorities are able to plan school places on a strategic basis.

Finally, I want stakeholders to consider a less bureaucratic approach to providing education to pupils with a statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN) in an unapproved independent school. To this end, I am suggesting that we repeal s347 of the Education Act 1996, to place the duty to ensure appropriate provision is made firmly with Local Authorities and remove the requirement for Welsh Ministers to approve their decisions.