Big Society public services - education: a new relationship between schools and government?

What might local accountability look like?

The school as part of the community  

The school's involvement in the community is important. For example, in Peterborough, teenage pregnancy rates were addressed through a network of different organisations including:

• NHS Peterborough
• local councils
• community organisations
• schools using social marketing campaigns on Facebook and YouTube.

It was argued charities and community groups could offer a more rounded education than just academic attainment.

As a result, schools need to recognise and encourage other parts of the community to educate children and address social outcomes that look beyond educational achievement. 

Participants discussed the value of schools working together and with non-state organisations to improve extracurricular attainment and manage behaviour through supportive networks.

However, it was acknowledged that there is a danger of these groupings become self selective, only benefitting 'outstanding' or high-achieving schools.

The growing importance of information

There is already great public appetite for information on school performance - Ofsted's website gets 7-8 million hits a day.

In a marketised schools system that depends on the public making informed choices, the role for independent information potentially becomes even more important.

The inspectorate's role in promoting improvement and keeping the Secretary of State informed about service quality will remain important - but providing information for parents to make informed choices will become a priority.

There may also be a greater role for intermediary bodies and community-run websites in driving local accountability in a way that suits local interests. 

Managing risk in a devolved system

It was suggested the state had tried to manage too many risks and had stifled the education system.

There may be a withdrawal of inspection from some areas if the public are willing to accept the level of risk.

There has already been change in this area. For example, outstanding schools are facing fewer inspections, with the level of inspection graded in relation to performance data.

What is not so clear is what happens in cases of failure. If there is limited progress in an area once central government has stepped back, there may be pressure on Government to step back in and encourage change.

It is not yet clear whether central government wants to avoid this 'hokey cokey'. In addition, if the government does want to avoid intervention in cases of failure, it is not yet clear how knee-jerk reactions can be avoided.

One suggestion was that cases of failure should be met with more decentralisation and more competition. 

The role of Local Authorities

One question the speakers addressed was the future role for Local Authorities as power is devolved to individual schools.

It was suggested Local Authorities could champion pupil interest and act as a check on producer [school] interest, as well as picking up residual elements such as admissions.

The precise role is yet to be defined and there is a need to think about the 'beef' that Local Authorities could provide in the future. 

One potential role may be in bringing Big Society elements into the education system by, for example:

• removing bureaucratic and legal barriers community organisations face in collaborating with schools
• encouraging community coordination in areas where social capital is low.

In addition, there may be a role for Local Authorities in regulating the market system for schools. 

A critique

Empower professionals?

The argument was made that head teachers already have a large amount of power. It was questioned whether more power is needed - or even wanted.

Giving head teachers more power will allow them to change the 'conditions of service' such as aspects of the curriculum.

However, many professionals within schools like to have clear conditions of service, and embrace the minimum standards ensured by the national curriculum. 

Unequal devolution of power may have a negative impact

There is some professional fatigue with the apparent tendency of every new government to 'start over' and instigate structural change without a high degree of challenge.

Challenge to structural change in the education system was raised through the discussion. It may be the case that 'outstanding' schools rush for academy status, but the impact this will have on the other schools has not been fully tested.

Schools should be thought of as existing in an ecosystem where change in one school can have an impact on other schools. The opportunity cost on the whole school system of targeting resources at a particular school needs to be carefully considered.

There were fears that although academy status may raise attainment for some schools it may also exacerbate existing gaps in attainment. Powerful schools would lobby for resources, leaving poorer schools, which often have more vulnerable students, voiceless.