Overview

The Schools Bill [HL] aims to make significant changes to the regulation of academies in England, school funding, school attendance, and independent educational institutions. It also addresses teacher misconduct and includes transitional provisions.

Description

Academies

The bill introduces regulations concerning the governance of academy schools with a religious character, ensuring that a majority of directors and members reflect the tenets of the designated religion. It mandates daily collective worship and religious education, with provisions for exemptions and special arrangements. The bill also grants local authorities and certain bodies the power to apply for an academy order, impacting the conversion of schools to academies. It makes amendments related to academy grammar schools and the transfer of land by local authorities, as well as changes to the regulation of 16-19 academies.

School Funding

The bill establishes a nationally determined funding formula for schools in England, with the Secretary of State determining allocations and allowing for adjustments in exceptional circumstances. Locally determined supplementary funding is also introduced, allowing local authorities to allocate additional funds based on specific criteria. The bill also allows for reallocation of funding between national and local levels, adjustments for excluded pupils, and deductions from maintained schools' core budgets.

School Attendance

The bill introduces a duty for local authorities to maintain a register of children of compulsory school age not in school. It outlines the information to be included in the register and the duties of parents and education providers in providing information. The bill also introduces school attendance orders, with provisions for preliminary notices, school nomination notices, amendments to orders, and penalties for non-compliance.

Independent Educational Institutions

The bill expands the scope of regulation for independent educational institutions, including new definitions and criteria for full-time education. It introduces new standards for independent educational institutions, including standards for proprietors, and establishes powers for the Secretary of State to suspend registration or impose stop boarding requirements where standards are not met. The bill enhances the Chief Inspector's powers of entry and investigation, creates provisions for information sharing, and introduces new offences related to non-compliance.

Teacher Misconduct

The bill extends the teacher misconduct regime to include individuals working in various educational settings, such as independent educational institutions (not schools), further education institutions, special post-16 institutions, and online education providers.

Government Spending

The bill's impact on government spending is not explicitly stated in the provided text. The changes to the school funding formula and locally determined budgets could potentially lead to increased or decreased spending depending on how these are implemented and the resulting allocations.

Groups Affected

• Academy schools (with religious character): Subject to new governance regulations, mandatory collective worship and religious education.
• Academy schools (other): Affected by changes relating to grammar schools, 16-19 academies, and funding.
• Local authorities: Given new powers to apply for academy orders, responsible for administering school funding, and maintaining registers of children not in school.
• Parents: Have new duties to provide information about children not in school; may be subject to school attendance orders.
• Independent educational institutions: Subject to expanded regulation, new standards, and increased inspection.
• Teachers: Affected by the expansion of the teacher misconduct regime.
• Religious bodies: Their involvement in the governance of faith schools is clarified and strengthened.

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