Choice
166. The Government sets great store by choice as
a lever for change in the schools system. It proposes a number
of initiatives to help those from less affluent social groups
to operate choice more effectively; in particular, the introduction
of choice advisers and extended free transport to school. If choice
is going to play an increased role in determining the shape of
the school system, then measures such as these to improve equity
are necessary. Only experience will show how effective they will
be and we expect the Government to make a full evaluation of them.
167. A concern is that the operation of choice tends
to lead to a movement of pupils away from schools in the inner
city towards those in the suburbs, yet it is in the urban areas
that schools are most necessary as a community resource and where
the extended schools initiative is most likely to bear fruit.
We recommend that the Government develops its proposal to provide
extra funding to those areas with the lowest levels of prior attainment
by pupils entering secondary school by seeking a means of providing
extra funding for individual pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.
168. While parental choice is an accepted part of
the landscape of schools provision, there must still be a role
for the local authority in shaping the educational provision in
an area and to make sure that the views of those with the loudest
or most persuasive voices are balanced by considerations affecting
the population of an area more generally. If the law requires
parents to educate their children, which for the vast majority
will mean sending them to school, then there is a duty on the
state to ensure that there is adequate provision in terms of
quality and ease of access for all children.
In-school reforms
169. We are generally in favour of the proposals
relating to activity within schools on managing behaviour, personalisation
of learning and workforce and leadership development. We do have
some concerns that certain aspects of the personalisation proposals,
including the gifted and talented programme and setting, could
work to the detriment of disadvantaged pupils and those from minority
ethnic groups unless care is taken in the way in which they operate,
and we look forward to the guidance from Government on those issues.
170. In the end the form of governance of a school
is less significant in determining the attainment of its pupils
than the nature of its pupil intake and the quality of teaching
and leadership. Trusts may turn out to be effective vehicles
for co-operation between schools, but they will not be immune
to the pressures facing other schools. No doubt at some point
a Trust school will be taken into special measures, and when it
does it is likely that the fact that it is a Trust school will
not be among the reasons for its failure. Schools need to have
a sound structure of governance and accountability, and this can
take more than one form, but in the end it will be what happens
in schools, whatever their designation, that will decide whether
the attainment of disadvantaged children in our school system
will be improved.
102 Annual Report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector
of Schools 2004-05, HC 451, 19 October 2005, page 5. Back
103
HC 679 2005-06, 9 January 2006. Back
104
There were five categories of poorly performing school; three
assessed by Ofsted (Underachieving schools, schools in serious
weaknesses and schools in special measures) and a further two
by the DfES (Under-performing secondary schools and low-attaining
schools). Back
105
Improving poorly performing schools in England, page 1. Back
106
Q 640 Back
