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Even Tory councillors are up in arms. Osborne should leave schools alone Even Tory councillors are up in arms. Osborne should leave schools alone
(5 months later)
Now for the next revolt. The real news in George Osborne’s budget was not disability benefit cuts. It was the surreptitious launch of England’s biggest nationalisation project since the NHS in 1948.Now for the next revolt. The real news in George Osborne’s budget was not disability benefit cuts. It was the surreptitious launch of England’s biggest nationalisation project since the NHS in 1948.
Related: 'They’ve gone bonkers': Tory councillors angry with academy plans
England’s entire stock of state-funded schools are to come under central government through a network of regional schools commissioners. A national schools service, an NSS, is to be formed.England’s entire stock of state-funded schools are to come under central government through a network of regional schools commissioners. A national schools service, an NSS, is to be formed.
The plan has seen no electoral mandate, no consultation, no research and no financial planning. It is an ideological pout, a gesture of Westminster/Whitehall’s contempt for localism.The plan has seen no electoral mandate, no consultation, no research and no financial planning. It is an ideological pout, a gesture of Westminster/Whitehall’s contempt for localism.
It reflects the new divide in politics, not between left and right but between London and the provinces, between centre and locality. This divide is seen in planning and health, transport and fiscal policy.It reflects the new divide in politics, not between left and right but between London and the provinces, between centre and locality. This divide is seen in planning and health, transport and fiscal policy.
But the reaction began yesterday, from where Osborne should fear it most. It was in the fury expressed by the leaders of Oxfordshire, Kent, Hampshire and Trafford, Tory councils whose schools are their pride and joy, declaring themselves “fed up with diktats from above”.But the reaction began yesterday, from where Osborne should fear it most. It was in the fury expressed by the leaders of Oxfordshire, Kent, Hampshire and Trafford, Tory councils whose schools are their pride and joy, declaring themselves “fed up with diktats from above”.
Osborne should back off now. This is a nationalisation too farOsborne should back off now. This is a nationalisation too far
The irony is that Osborne has shown himself to be an enthusiastic localist. His devolution to “metro” councils may pale against the civic entities of France, Germany or America. But they are a start, and real.The irony is that Osborne has shown himself to be an enthusiastic localist. His devolution to “metro” councils may pale against the civic entities of France, Germany or America. But they are a start, and real.
So why go the other way with schools? And why use the model of the centrally supervised “academy chain”? Despite 25 years of feuding between Whitehall and local councils, the latter still run 39% of secondary schools and 85% of primaries.So why go the other way with schools? And why use the model of the centrally supervised “academy chain”? Despite 25 years of feuding between Whitehall and local councils, the latter still run 39% of secondary schools and 85% of primaries.
A litany of reports from Ofsted and the commons education committee has shown academies to be no better and no worse than council schools. There is no evidence that academies have outperformed the “bureaucratic” local schools – despite the covert pupil selection that underpins them. Of the 4,515 academies, thousands are run by a handful of “chains”, in effect parastatal companies, which have hoarded cash and paid their executives huge salaries from the public purse.A litany of reports from Ofsted and the commons education committee has shown academies to be no better and no worse than council schools. There is no evidence that academies have outperformed the “bureaucratic” local schools – despite the covert pupil selection that underpins them. Of the 4,515 academies, thousands are run by a handful of “chains”, in effect parastatal companies, which have hoarded cash and paid their executives huge salaries from the public purse.
Whitehall’s unaccountable new commissioners will have to take control of planning, staffing, budgeting and admissions. They will be overwhelmed by their own bureaucracy. It will be one NHS-style funding crisis after another. The overheads cost to the education budget – already put at half a billion pounds – will become enormous.Whitehall’s unaccountable new commissioners will have to take control of planning, staffing, budgeting and admissions. They will be overwhelmed by their own bureaucracy. It will be one NHS-style funding crisis after another. The overheads cost to the education budget – already put at half a billion pounds – will become enormous.
Related: Parents out, chief executives in: our schools will be anything but free | Peter Wilby
Local democratic control of schools on the whole works. It promotes fairness within communities. It eases the sensible ordering of priorities. Above all it can minimise the social, ethnic and religious divisions that are now so worrying across the country. An alarming number of today’s centrally administered schools are religiously exclusive, another task the commissioners will have to confront.Local democratic control of schools on the whole works. It promotes fairness within communities. It eases the sensible ordering of priorities. Above all it can minimise the social, ethnic and religious divisions that are now so worrying across the country. An alarming number of today’s centrally administered schools are religiously exclusive, another task the commissioners will have to confront.
Osborne should back off now. This is a nationalisation too far.Osborne should back off now. This is a nationalisation too far.
Labour’s leadership is as centralist as ever and can only bleat in protest. But the Tory shires are starting to bellow. The reform has nothing to do with education. It is a power grab by London’s political elite because it cannot stand anyone else running Britain.Labour’s leadership is as centralist as ever and can only bleat in protest. But the Tory shires are starting to bellow. The reform has nothing to do with education. It is a power grab by London’s political elite because it cannot stand anyone else running Britain.