Clause 103 - Removal of requirements for governors’ reports and parents’ meetings
Education Bill [Lords]
3:00 pm
Mr John Pugh (Education Spokesperson, Education & Skills; Southport, Liberal Democrat)
Again, I think that the new clause falls under the heading of legislating for what can happen anyway. I do not think that anything in the Education Act 2002 bans schools from engaging in these rather strange rituals that have been so horrendously unsuccessful ever since the Conservatives introduced them. I should hate to create a presumption in their favour, because local authority after local authority has pleaded to discontinue them. They are extraordinarily wasteful of resources. I think that schools and head teachers have the capacity to hold meetings, and to decide on their nature, length, style and objectives. I remain unconvinced that new clause 14 is needed, because I cannot see that it would achieve much.