Cooperative trust plans to be proposed

TdaNews Direct
Published: 12 September, 2008

The Schools Secretary, Ed Balls, is to propose that over the next two years, 100 schools will become cooperative trust schools which will be controlled by the local community.

Extra financial help will be offered to schools willing to join up with the new scheme, including £500,000 to those willing to change into a public-owned establishment.

It was noted that trust schools would remain a part of the local education authority but members of the trust would be made up from parents, teachers, pupils and other leading community figures.

Mr Balls is due to say in Parliament: "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."

The Schools Secretary revealed at the beginning of the week that more schools were meeting their GCSE targets, lessening the amount of establishments in the National Challenge programme.