1. 6.1 Local government National government

2. Local government or national government? School admissions Set pay & conditions for school staff Monitor standards Support Services Set the curriculum Funding for schools

3. 6.1 Summarise the roles and responsibilities of national and local government for education policy and practice For your file, write about the changing role of government and local authorities as more and more schools turn to academy status. Use the web link to help you write about what functions local and national governments carry out in schools of different types. Make reference to Academies and Free Schools and explain how these differ from schools run by the local authority.

4. Admissions National government sets admissions law – eg in accordance with equality LA has admissions policy – eg priority given to siblings/address LA has agreements for schools to take in excluded pupils Not all schools have to follow this policy – eg academies can set their own criteria, and catholic schools follow policy from diocese

5. Set the curriculum The government sets the National Curriculum LA schools follow the national curriculum and children are assessed at end of Key Stages – SAT’s Academies and independent schools can set their own curriculum – however it must be broad and balanced

6. Pay and conditions Pay is set nationally by government – incremental pay scales Government is trying to give schools more individual powers to set their own pay and conditions – eg via academies, performance related pay Government highlighted that nationally workers were being paid different rates for similar roles – LA’s had to deliver on Single Status

7. Support services LA’s used to provide all support services to schools – eg grounds, maintenance, SEN, HR, staff training This role is changing as the government pushes for schools to move to academy status Schools now buy in services from the LA under SLA’s or from private providers LA’s still have a duty to provide a minimum of support for example in electricity testing

8. Monitor standards Ofsted are the independent body to monitor and maintain standards in schools The chief inspector of Ofsted is appointed by... the government All schools in the UK are inspected and reported on by Ofsted LA’s also have a duty to challenge schools to raise standards – often by a SIP

9. Funding for schools Budget is set by Chancellor of the Exchequer Overall budget is divided via regional funding arrangements – political decisions LA’s keep back money for services eg SEN, transport LA’s divide remainder between schools – more for deprived areas National Government policy – pupil premium & sports premium

10. Role of LA The role of the LA is changing rapidly Current government wants to reduce the role of LA in favour of schools being able to spend their own budgets more flexibly – they argue this will raise standards This can mean that decisions that would have been made locally are now made in London (eg change from 3 tier to 2 tier, new builds)