Timetable
Parliament is currently on recess and resumes on 9 October when the Bill will continue its passage through the House of Lords.
Report Stage, which offers another chance for the Bill to be amended in the House of Lords is scheduled to commence on 17th October 2006.
Strategic Partnership between LAs and Dioceses
The Government rejected calls on behalf of the Catholic Church and the Church of England to add a new clause to the bill to strengthen the duty on local authorities to maintain a political and strategic relationship with dioceses, in view of the abolition of the School Organisation Committee by the Bill. Lord Adonis stated: “ …we want diocesan authorities to continue to play an active role in the strategic decision-making of the local authority area, and we believe that it is fully provided for in existing legislation, of course provided that local authorities are of a will to carry out their obligations in that respect. We believe that they are overwhelming; and where they are not they can be held to account for it.” The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham consequently withdrew the amendment but it will be important in future to monitor relationships with local authorities to confirm that the Government’s beliefs and hopes are borne out.
LA power to publish proposals for Increased Pupil Numbers in VA Schools
Clause 19 of the Bill was amended to include “an increase in the number of pupils in any relevant age group” in a voluntary or foundation schools in the types of prescribed alteration which a LA is empowered to propose. “Relevant age group” has the same meaning as in the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.
Trustees’ Rights in Voluntary Aided Schools Protected
Thanks to a new clause (19) incorporated into the Bill, governing bodies of voluntary aided schools will be required to obtain the consent of the school’s trustees and the person with responsibility for appointing foundation governors before publishing proposals to change the category of the school to foundation.
This provision will ensure that Catholic education through voluntary aided schools is secured in line with diocesan bishops’ education policy.
Admissions
Speaking on Clause 44, which deals with admission arrangements for schools with a religious character, Lord Adonis also brought forward amendments to secure trustees’ rights in this respect. He said:
“In response to representations made to us by the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church, these amendments will also give faith groups the power to refer to the Adjudicator an objection about admission arrangements in any one of the schools of their particular faith. This provision would extend to admission forums the existing power to refer objections that currently applies to local authorities, governing bodies of maintained schools and prescribed groups of parents.”
Admissions Code
Government officials have advised that the draft Code on School Admissions to be published for consultation shortly is to prohibit first preference first and ‘conditional’ admissions criteria, where higher or lower priority is given to applicants who have applied to certain other institutions.
The CES continues to lobby against the criteria being universally prohibited. The Chief Executive and Director has met Lord Adonis this week to discuss the issue and is scheduling meetings with David Willetts (Conservative) and Sarah Teather (Liberal Democrats).
Power of members of staff of FE institutions to use force
Staff in institutions of further education, including sixth form colleges, are to be given the power to use reasonable force to prevent a student from (or from continuing) committing an offence, causing personal injury or damage to property or prejudicing the maintenance of good order and discipline at the institution or among its students at any time when they are under the lawful control or under the charge of the staff member.
The new power can be read in full at clause 160 of the Bill.
Inspection
No changes to provisions relating to inspection or Ofsted were made during the Committee Stage in the House of Lords.
A separate bulletin will be issued on inspection provisions under the Bill.
Transport
No substantive changes to the provisions relating to home-to-school transport were made in Committee. | 
