Intervening in failing, underperforming and coasting schools

We invite your views on how:

• we define local-authority-maintained schools that are eligible for intervention
• regional schools commissioners (RSCs) and local authorities should use their intervention powers
• we propose to identify coasting schools

On Wednesday 9 December, the government tabled amendments to the Education and Adoption Bill that propose to:

• introduce consistent, effective powers in any academy that is failing or coasting
• require an academy sponsor, once identified for a maintained school that is eligible for intervention, to communicate to parents information about their plans for the school
• make a number of amendments to the clause of the bill on coasting, including:
  • removing an element of subjectivity from the coasting definition that could be implied by the current wording of the bill
  • specifying that regulations on coasting must be made by the Secretary of State, rather than may be made
  • specifying that we will lay the coasting regulations before both Houses of Parliament to be approved the first time they are made

You can find these amendments on the Parliament website.

Respondents to the consultation on ‘Intervening in failing, underperforming and coasting schools’ may wish to take account of these prospective changes in their responses to the consultation questions.

Respondents may also email to contribute their views on these new proposals during the consultation period.