Academies Bill [HL]

My Lords, all the amendments in this group state very much the same thing. I therefore support them. I shall speak also to Amendment 169 on the admissions code. The Government have made it clear on a number of occasions that they believe that the admissions code is something by which all schools must abide. We celebrate and welcome this, in particular because there has been some talk, rightly or wrongly, of the Government relaxing or amending the admissions code. I am glad to know that that is not the case. Local authorities have an important role in monitoring the code. They are now required to report annually to the schools adjudicator on the fairness and legality of the admissions arrangements to all schools in their area. The Bill removes that responsibility for large numbers of schools. The Government say that their aim is that it should be the norm that secondary schools themselves, and not local authorities, will police that. Proper enforcement of a strict code is vital to guarantee fairness and cohesion. As the independent enforcer of fair access to schools, the schools adjudicator now has a wider remit to consider any admissions arrangements that come to his attention, in addition to any complaints received through objections. The schools adjudicator should still report annually to the Secretary of State on how fair access is being achieved locally. As I mentioned, the Government’s stated intention is to maintain the admissions code in the hundreds of secondary schools that could be academies by the autumn. That is very welcome. If academies are to be the norm—or perhaps I should say more normal than they are now, growing and flourishing—it would be right and proper that the need to comply with the admissions code should be in the Bill. That is what Amendments 28 and 169 seek to do. We have all received many representations expressing fears about the admissions code in relation to the Bill. Simply putting this in the Bill would inspire greater confidence. I urge the Minister to consider it.