Mr Stephen Timms (Minister of State (School Standards), Department for Education and Skills; East Ham, Labour)

I shall try to be brief and helpful. In some cases, the school's leadership will have been the problem—the governing body and the head teacher. The head teacher may have been an ex officio member of the governing body being replaced, and as the hon. Gentleman will be aware, that individual may have been a significant part of the problem. In those circumstances, rapid changes to the school's senior management may be needed, and one of the first challenges facing the interim executive board may be to replace the head teacher. That would be much less easily achieved if the head were a member of the board as of right, so I cannot accept the amendment. On reflection, the hon. Gentleman will probably accept that. However, we expect the interim executive board to involve and work closely with the head teacher in improving the school. That will be made clear to the boards through guidance.

In circumstances that are not as I described—this will be made clear in guidance—I expect the head teacher to be a member of the interim executive board, as in normal circumstances heads would be members as of right of the governing body. I think that the hon. Gentleman will accept that, in certain circumstances, it would not be appropriate to extend the as-of-right membership of a governing body to an interim executive board, for the reasons that I explained.

Mr Graham Brady (Altrincham & Sale West, Conservative)

I think that we all accept that, in the specific circumstances to which the Minister alluded, there should be an important exception. Does he expect the guidance to encourage the practice that, once a head who is deemed to be a problem has been replaced, the replacement head ordinarily goes on to the board without delay?

Mr Stephen Timms (Minister of State (School Standards), Department for Education and Skills; East Ham, Labour)

Yes, I do.

Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough, Liberal Democrat)

I am glad that I tabled the amendment, because we are discussing an important difference. I agree with the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale, West and the Minister. If the school's management has become so poor that extreme measures have to be taken and the head needs to be replaced, that is clearly a reasonable step to take. I ask the Minister to reflect on the schedule and to try to find an appropriate form of words that makes it clear that, if the head teacher or management of a school is replaced, the new head will automatically be a member of the interim board.

Mr Stephen Timms (Minister of State (School Standards), Department for Education and Skills; East Ham, Labour)

I expect to do that in the guidance rather than the schedule, which I hope will meet the hon. Gentleman's request.

Mr Phil Willis (Harrogate & Knaresborough, Liberal Democrat)

With that assurance, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Schedule 6 agreed to.