Industry News
Schools ministers given more power
Posted on 14th May 2008
School ministers are to be given more powers to aid them in intervening directly with schools suspected of failing.
Gordon Brown announced the new Education and Skills bill during the draft Queen's Speech today.
The prime minister hopes the new plans will strengthen the accountability off schools for parents.
When New Labour first came into power ten years ago they held "education, education, education" at the heart of their manifesto and improving faltering schools is still high on the agenda, Mr Brown said.
The new bill also gave every suitably qualified young person the right to take time off to train with an apprenticeship.
At the end of 2007 the government released the Children's Plan, an initiative with the ultimate goal of improving children's lives by 2013.
The bill aims to encourage children to stay in education after the legal leaving age of 16. The government has already launched the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) scheme, which sees young people attending college or sixth form rewarded with £30 a week.
Now young people will be able to attend one day of training a week outside of their current work environment.