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Education and Inspections Bill

Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I will give way in a moment, but I said that I wanted to make some progress. Every MP and councillor will know that schools admissions are one of the most controversial aspects of education. Surely that is therefore the one issue that should have some accountability. The local authority is the right place to decide an area’s admissions policies for community schools, foundation schools and city academies. Whatever other freedoms they may have, this one needs a strategic overview. What about parent representation on the governing body of these trust schools? We know the direction of travel that the Government take on this. Look at academies, which need only one elected parent governor, with all the others appointed. That is no way in which to increase parents’ influence on schools.