25 October 2005
Education should be tailored around the needs of each child with greater choice for parents and more power for schools and teachers.
That’s the conclusion of the government’s latest White Paper - Higher Standards, Better Schools For All - published today.
Education Secretary Ruth Kelly said she wanted to build on the ‘firm base’ of higher standards already in place in the country’s schools.
It was time, she said, to ‘deliver for all children, but particularly for those whose family background is most challenging.’
Proposals include:
- Allowing every school to acquire a self-governing Trust similar to those supporting City Academies - giving them the freedom to work with new partners.
- Better information for parents to help them choose a school for their child - including dedicated ‘choice advisers’ for less well-off families
- Free school transport for children from poorer families to their three nearest secondary schools within a six-mile radius
- Regular, ‘meaningful’ reports for parents during the school year on their child’s progress
- One-to-one tuition for under-performing pupils in maths and education with more stretching lessons for talented youngsters
- ‘Clear and unambigious’ legal right for teachers to discipline pupils
- Local authorities to become ‘champions’ of pupils and parents, commissioning rather than providing education
Ms Kelly said:
"More than anything (this) is a White Paper about aspiration. We must have the highest aspirations for every child whatever their talents and ability."
Previewing the White Paper in a speech in Downing Street yesterday, Tony Blair said:
"We must do better to tackle the pockets of deep educational disadvantage; do better in lifting schools from average to good; do better in enabling more good schools to become genuine centres of excellence - giving as good an education in the state sector as anyone can buy in the private school system."
What happens next?
A White Paper allows the government an opportunity to gather feedback before it formally presents the policies as a Bill to Parliament.
Extra information
- Download the White Paper in full (opens in new window)
- Visit our new education section
- Watch our exclusive film on the success of the City Academy Bristol
- PM reflects on ‘pivotal moment’ for education
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