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How will the Government's White Paper affect parents?

The White Paper says

      Parents will get more rights, more choice, better support, and a bigger say.

      All schools will be expected to do more to engage and to listen to parents. They will provide more regular information on progress; will be encouraged to set up Parent Councils to give all parents an opportunity to have their say; and will consider the use of outreach workers to make contact with hard-to-reach parents.

      Parents will be able to ask for new schools to be set up to reflect local need and demand.

      Local authorities will be duty bound to consider them as part of their role to promote choice, diversity and fair access and use the record capital investment we are making to build them.

      Where local authorities refuse to take this new duty seriously, the Secretary of State will not hesitate in using her powers to intervene, including where necessary making sure capital is made available for well-founded proposals.

      Where central government makes funding available, it will consider the implications for future local government settlements.

      The Government will create a network of advisors to ensure that every parent knows what is available. Parents will get advice and support on which school to send their child to. At the moment, many parents are simply unaware of the rights and choices open to them.

      Schools will find it much easier to expand and offer more places to parents that want them for their children and to federate with other schools. At the moment, the expansion of any school has to be approved by every other school in the local area. No more. The Government will abolish School Organisation Committees. It says it needs to re-weight the decision making process in favour of the school that wants to expand, rather than those who object.

      The Government will make it easier for independent schools who want to join the state sector to do so subject to fair funding and fair admissions.