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Schools White Paper

Under legislation that has already been passed, all new schools that are being proposed will be subject to a school competition so that the best school provider obtains. That process will be overseen by the local authority, with the voice of the parent also respected in the process, so that the school obtained is right for the area and the children, with the local authority setting the admissions criteria, the sort of curriculum and other specialist aspects that it is seeking. That is a strong role for a local authority, but not a new one.