Balls Urges Community Groups to Run Schools
Schools Secretary Ed Balls today urged parents, teachers and community groups in England to take over the running of their local schools. He said he wanted to see 100 schools taken over by co-operative trusts in the next two years.
The trusts, made up of parents, teachers, local businesses and other individuals, would have a say in how the school was run, how money was invested and which governors were appointed.
Half a million pounds has been made available for the pilot project, Mr Balls said.
He said: "I want to see more parents and communities actively involved in schools and the co-operative model is an ideal way to do this. This is about putting power in the hands of those who are directly engaged with local schools, and who know best what is needed in their area."
Schools which join the Trust Schools Programme are already eligible for GBP10,000 in Government funding to help with start-up costs.
The new funding will mean that those which adopt the new co-operative model will be able to re-coup an extra GBP5,000.
Under the new plans, the trust would have a say in issues such as behaviour, but the school would remain under local authority control.
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