Where would power lie in the local school system under Labour? An initial response to the Blunkett Review

Update:There is now an addendum to this post on the subject of Community Trusts here

On 30 April 2014 the Labour Party published a Review of education structures, functions and the raising of standards for all: Putting Students and Parents First, known for short as the Blunkett Review. On the same date it also published an internal PLP Briefing on the Review: Blunkett Report into school standards: local oversight, challenge and support for all schools. The Review includes a number of issues which are not dealt with in this response, which focuses on the roles of the Director for School Standards, the schools, local authorities and parents and the wider community.

Both documents are quoted in this initial response – quotes are in italics and page numbers refer to the Review unless they stipulate the PLP Briefing. Neither document is paginated so page numbers refer to those…