Education policy and governance in England under the Coalition Government (2010–15): Academies, the pupil premium, and free early education

Abstract

This paper explores the governance of school-based and early education in England under the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition Government (2010-15). It draws on three prominent Coalition policy areas -the academies programme, the pupil premium, and free part-time early education -and focuses on changes to the role played by central government in governance; in so doing, it also makes contrasts with Wales and Scotland. An analysis of the funding and regulatory framework reveals that the role of central government in England increased under the Coalition Government and that of local government declined. These changes to governance have served to centralize power on the one hand, and to facilitate and sustain markets in school-based and free early education on the other; the same cannot be said of governance in either Scotland or Wales, where democratically elected local government continues to play a highly significant role.

The Expansion of “Private” Schools in England, Sweden and Eastern Germany: A Comparative Perspective on Policy Development, Regulation, Policy Goals and Ideas

“…Funding for school-based education is distributed by central government to local authorities by way of a hypothecated grant, with the amounts allocated varying according to local authority characteristics(Chowdry and Sibieta 2011). Although academies are funded by central government, the amount they receive is determined using the funding formula devised by the local authority in which the academy is located and in line with other state-funded schools in the area (in accordance with regulations)(West 2015). However, academies also receive fundingdetermined centrallyto cover services previously provided by the local authority (Education Funding Agency 2015).…”

New forms of government school provision – an international comparison

“…Journal of Education Policy allowed schools that were already performing well to convert to academy status of their own accord without the need for a sponsor to take over their management (West 2015).…”

Living standards

“…This legal entitlement was introduced in 1998-99 for 4-year-olds and was initially set at 12.5 hours for 33 weeks of the year. This replaced the nursery voucher scheme introduced by the previous Conservative government in 1996 (West, 2015). The legal entitlement was increased over the next decade, being extended to cover 3-year-olds as well in 2004, increased from 33 to 38 weeks in 2006 and raised from 12.5 to 15 hours a week in 2010.…”