The role for local authorities in the Free Schools and Academies policy

Background

The common assumption is that the Government's flagship Free Schools and Academies policy leaves no role for local authorities. This is wrong. Local authorities can play a central role in delivering this policy and making it a success. However, they must move quickly and adopt a new proactive role in supporting local delivery.

Key findings

This paper outlines the steps local authorities should take to develop this new model. These steps are based on our research, which indicates that proactive local authorities can play and are playing a leading role in addressing the challenges facing schools. It sets out what these challenges are and what steps local authorities need to take to help schools address them.

Local authority national impact (PDF)

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