Education and Inspections Bill — End selection by ability — rejected — 24 May 2006 at 17:30

The majority No voters rejected a new clause^[1] for the Education and Inspections Bill. The new clause was summarised as follows by David Chaytor MP^[2]:

• New clause 39 suggests that the Government establish a clear principle, namely that selection is not a desirable form of admission to secondary education, and that they set an end date beyond which selection will no longer be permitted. It proposes 2010 as the end date. At the same time, it allows the current ballot arrangements to be maintained. Parents would be able to engage in debate locally, consider the alternatives and express their views, and would have the right to vote to reintroduce selection if they were so minded.

However, this amendment was defeated.

The main aims of the Education and Inspections Bill were to^[3]:

• Allow schools to achieve 'foundation' or 'trust' status - this gives governing bodies greater freedom to manage the school.
• Reaffirm the existing ban on selection by ability and proposes a ban on interviewing.
• Give local authorities greater scope to intervene more quickly in failing schools.
• Ensure local authorities provide free school transport for the poorest families.
• Enable nutritional standards to be applied to all food and drink on school premises.
• Allow staff to discipline children for bad behaviour even outside of school.
• Ensure parents are held responsible for excluded pupils.

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• [1] David Chaytor MP, House of Commons, 24 May 2006
• [2] David Chaytor MP, House of Commons, 24 May 2006
• [3] BBC Summary of the Education and Inspections Bill, 8 March 2006

Debate in Parliament | Source |