The Schools Bill mentioned in the NAPE last news item before Christmas has drawn some criticism, particularly in the way that the government wishes to kerb back the freedoms that academies have enjoyed.
The Schools Bill is in two parts. One part seemed not only timely but was sorely needed. 'The bill offered a timely response with plans to introduce local authority registers to identify and keep track of children not in school, while parents seeking to educate their child at home will face greater scrutiny under the new legislation' This is in the wake of, 'Sara Sharif trial, during which her father and stepmother were convicted of murdering the 10-year-old four months after she was taken out of school to be educated at home' (The Guardian).
However, the Schools Bill itself has drawn some criticism. For instance, 'The bill seeks to force all schools including academies to follow the national curriculum' (Schools Week). What has drawn even fiercer condemenation is that under the new bill, which has its second reading in Parliament tomorrow, the statutory pay and conditions framework will be extended to include teachers in academies (The TES).
So it is a question of 'watch this space' as the battle between the interested parties take place. The Conservatives have described the Bill as 'Educational Vandalism'.
By: Mike Aylen
On:29-01-2025
