Education Bill "Muddled", say Lib Dems

2.28.51pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 3rd Apr 2006

Jean Fooks, Liberal Democrat spokesperson on Children, at tomorrow's Council will say that the Education Bill "Higher Standards, Better Schools for All" is more about structures, than actual standards. Jean will say that all children should have education appropriate to their needs in a good local school, and the Government plans will not provide this.

"There is not enough about teaching and learning, and nothing about reducing the bureaucratic burdens on teachers," said Jean. "The introduction of Trust Schools will encourage schools to compete rather than collaborate. Choice of schools may work in cities; but in rural counties like Oxfordshire, there is in reality little choice. We therefore need to ensure all our schools are good ones.

"The Bill will work against the provision of good local schools for every child. Schools in difficulties should be helped by the local authority, not closed.

"Whitehall should therefore be giving power back to local communities and local schools. Local people are best placed to make decisions about their local schools, with locally elected members being directly responsible to their communities for the decisions they make.

"The Learning and Skills Councils should be disbanded, so that local authorities regain responsibility for all education up to 19. It is a nonsense that a regional quango is responsible for 16-19 education."

Liberal Democrats are therefore calling on the Leader of the County Council to lobby Government for local education decisions to be made by democratically accountable local people.