Ensuring safe and high-quality schooling for all children
The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill introduces significant reforms to England’s education system, aiming to improve school accountability and oversight of home education.
Key measures include replacing single-word Ofsted inspection ratings with report cards, requiring all state-funded schools to follow the national curriculum, standardising teacher pay across maintained schools and academies, and giving councils new powers to register and visit home-educated children.
The LGA welcomes the introduction of the bill, which aligns with our long-standing calls for greater oversight in key areas such as school admissions and elective home education.
Strengthening councils’ ability to ensure every child receives a suitable education is a positive step forward. However, the successful implementation of these measures will depend on adequate funding. Councils will need sufficient resources to fulfil new responsibilities, particularly in visiting home-educated children and managing school-place planning effectively.
Similarly, while standardising teacher pay across different school types could support recruitment and retention for maintained schools, it must be funded properly to avoid placing additional financial strain on schools.
Despite the Labour manifesto pledge to do so, the bill does not include provisions for Ofsted to inspect multi-academy trusts (MATs). The LGA has long called for this oversight to ensure accountability across the whole education system.
Without these inspection powers, there is a risk that systemic issues within MATs may go unaddressed, undermining efforts to create a more equitable system.
Ruth Stanier, the LGA’s Assistant Director of Policy – People, gave evidence to the bill’s committee in January, setting out the LGA’s views on key aspects of the legislation. She emphasised the need for councils to have stronger oversight of home education and a greater role in planning school places.
She also highlighted the challenges facing local authorities in delivering children’s services amid rising demand and financial pressures.
There was cross-party recognition of the importance of improving oversight of children not in school, though MPs debated how best to balance this with parental rights.
Separately, Cllr Bev Craig, Vice-Chair of the LGA, gave evidence to the Commons’ Education Committee, where discussions centred on the proposed ‘children not in schools’ register.
Clare Canning, Head of Centre at Broadleaf Home Ed Co-operative, spoke against the register, arguing it infringes on parental rights and that parents are best placed to educate their children. While the LGA does not dispute that the vast majority of parents provide an excellent education, councils must have visibility over all children to ensure those who are not in school are safe and receiving a sufficient education.
Recent cases have tragically demonstrated the consequences of a system lacking proper oversight, reinforcing the urgent need for reform.
As the bill moves forward, the LGA will continue to engage with Parliament to ensure councils’ voices are heard.
We will push for Ofsted to have greater inspection powers over MATs, advocate for additional funding for councils’ new responsibilities, work with the Department for Education to ensure new regulations are practical, and continue to brief MPs and peers ahead of key debates.
Councils play a vital role in ensuring all children receive a high-quality education, and we remain committed to securing a system that delivers for pupils, families and communities.