Education and Skills Bill

First, Amendment No. 62 would add ““proprietor”” to what Clause 11 refers to as, "““the governing body of an institution””." I can tell the noble Baroness, Lady Sharp, that the amendment is unnecessary, because the institutions listed in Clause 11 are in the maintained sector, so the governing body is in fact the proprietor. On Amendment No. 63, which would include non-maintained special schools under the clause, we considered that question, as we said in another place that we would, and we agree that it is important for non-maintained special schools to be subject to that duty. Having considered how that can best be done, we have concluded that the policy aim would be better achieved by enacting regulations under Section 342(2) of the Education Act 1996. I can confirm to the Committee that we will do that, so we will meet the point raised by the noble Baroness. In respect of Amendment No. 64 concerning city technology colleges, the one city college for the technology of the arts and city academies, academies are required through their funding agreements to have regard to the same guidance as maintained schools on improving behaviour and attendance. The handful of remaining city technology colleges and the one city college for the technology of the arts are not so required by law, but the few remaining CTCs and the one city college for the technology of the arts are, without exception, successful schools with very high levels of post-16 participation from committed pupils with good attendance and behaviour, so we do not think it appropriate to extend the statutory duties to them. Like academies, city technology colleges and the single city college for the technology of the arts are, in general, regulated through their funding agreements rather than legislation. That is why they are not expressly listed in Clause 12.