Education Bill

My Lords, after four speeches in favour of Amendment 80, the amendment still appears both overprescriptive and unnecessary. I say ““unnecessary”” in the light of the proposed new subsection (5B)(a) to the 2005 Act, which appears at the top of page 37 of the Bill. It lists, "““spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils””." As if that were not enough, proposed new subsection (5B)(b) talks about, "““the needs of the range of pupils””," in the school. In addition, the chief inspector and all the other Ofsted inspectors will have to take account of the guidance already issued by the Secretary of State in July 2000. Finally, if this amendment were to be accepted, it would seem to fly completely in the face of the policy of localism quite rightly adopted by this Government.