Schools White Paper

My Lords, when I read through the White Paper I was able to tick off with gladness the emphasis given on establishing standards in English and basic mathematics and helping those who have lagged behind to reach a desirable standard by the end of primary school, and if not then, by the end of key stage 3. I also welcomed the note taken of the importance of helping those with gifts and talents to realise their potential. There is so much that one can welcome. When we come to structure, the Government say that the White Paper is concerned with developing a radically new school system. The teachers out there would wish that they were here to say to the parties here represented and to us on the Cross Benches, ““For goodness sake, try to agree something, because what we don’t want—and our kids can’t afford—is for you politicians to keep changing things””. Therefore I was glad to hear the Minister and the Benches opposite saying that they would like to co-operate in finding ways forward. It is good news. I shall move on briefly, because I hope that we will have that day’s debate. I have two questions. First, the Minister said that a number of outstanding organisations were co-operating with the Government in developing the trust model. I gather that the Government want thousands of such trust schools that will be linked to a trust, which will have the power to appoint up to a majority of the governing body. So those thousands of trusts will have an important and powerful role. What will be the criteria that determine whether Fred and co can establish a trust? How will we go about identifying something as pervasive and powerful as that? Although I welcome the greater freedom for schools to respond to their pupils and their distinctive enthusiasms with rigour in adapting their admissions policies, curriculum and particular emphases, my second question is about whether the local authority will have the flow of knowledge and the powers to ensure that the collection of independent decision-taking bodies meets the needs of the community as a whole. How will that work? If this had been another occasion, I might have reminded the Minister—and I find that I am doing it—that when we moved to a new system of schools inspection, it was piloted. How good it would be if it were practical to pilot this in one major local authority area before we commit the whole of England to it.