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Review could remove councils from education services Education review could remove school role from councils
(about 1 hour later)
Local councils in Wales could lose responsibility for running schools as a wide-ranging review is launched. Local councils in Wales could lose responsibility for running schools as part of a wide-ranging review.
Education Minister Leighton Andrews said he had not ruled anything out for a study into the structure for delivering services. It follows concern about pupils' performance and damning reports into some of Wales' 22 local education authorities (LEAs).
Mr Andrews has tried to get Wales' 22 local education authorities (LEAs) to work together, but is unhappy with the pace of co-operation between them. Education Minister Leighton Andrews warned the review will not rule anything out.
One of the options for the review could be creating regional schools boards. But local government leaders said they were "vehemently opposed" to cutting councils out of the system.
In a statement to the Welsh assembly, Mr Andrews said: "I have given local authorities time and money to get their house in order, but the evidence is overwhelming that this has not occurred."In a statement to the Welsh assembly, Mr Andrews said: "I have given local authorities time and money to get their house in order, but the evidence is overwhelming that this has not occurred."
He has previously blamed the creation of the 22 LEAs in the mid-1990s for a slide in attainment a decade later. He said the "fragmentation" of education services with the creation of 22 councils in the mid-1990s was a factor behind a downturn in performance by pupils a decade later.
The Welsh government launched a wide-ranging programme of reform in education following disappointing results from an international comparison of school standards in 2009. The Welsh government launched a programme of reform in education following disappointing results from an international comparison of school standards in 2009.
'Patchy progress''Patchy progress'
LEAs have been grouped into four regional consortia that have been charged with a responsibility to improve schools.LEAs have been grouped into four regional consortia that have been charged with a responsibility to improve schools.
They have been up and running since September, but Mr Andrews told the Senedd chamber that "overall progress is, to put it mildly, patchy".They have been up and running since September, but Mr Andrews told the Senedd chamber that "overall progress is, to put it mildly, patchy".
Outlining options for the review, he said it would consider whether responsibility for school improvement should be taken away from local authorities. Options for the review, which will report by the end of March next year, include:
It will ask if council education departments should be merged and put under the joint management of a number of local authorities.
  • local authorities losing responsibility for school improvement;
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  • introducing a regional delivery system for improvements;
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  • merging council education departments under the joint management of a number of local authorities;
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  • direct funding of schools by ministers, instead of through LEAs;
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  • creating schools owned by local co-operatives.
    •
Mr Andrews warned it could go as far as removing all education functions from local government and creating regional school boards accountable to the Welsh government. Mr Andrews warned it could go as far as a proposal to remove all education functions from local government and creating regional school boards accountable to the Welsh government, possibly without local council representation.
He listed a series of damning inspection reports that has led to two LEAs - Anglesey and Blaenau Gwent - being put in special measures.
Since introducing a new inspection process in 2010, the schools inspectorate Estyn has not given any authority its top "excellent" rating.Since introducing a new inspection process in 2010, the schools inspectorate Estyn has not given any authority its top "excellent" rating.
Two of them - Anglesey and Blaenau Gwent - have been put in special measures.
'Lost patience'
However, Conservative education spokeswoman Angela Burns said: "Do we honestly think that centralisation is the best course of action?"However, Conservative education spokeswoman Angela Burns said: "Do we honestly think that centralisation is the best course of action?"
On its Twitter account, the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) said it was "vehemently opposed to any removal of education services from local government!"
Philip Dixon, director of teaching union ATL Cymru, said the minister had "clearly lost patience" with local government.
"Some of the possibilities outlined are very radical indeed and could see local authorities lose any say over the delivery of education," he said.
The NAHT Cymru union said apart from rare exceptions, schools had not had a positive experience of the consortium system.
Union director Anna Brychan said: "Clearly the minister is hearing the same messages."
She welcomed the review, but said there needed to be local accountability for education standards and delivery.