Time to close the door on new academies in Liverpool

Lib Dems pushed Labour to go further on schools motion at full council meeting, and this was accepted with a slight modification.

Liverpool Lib Dems’ amendment to the Labour motion emphasised the shortcomings of some academies in the city and highlighted the importance of local authority oversight of education and schooling.

Rather than seeing the council give up powers to a regional schools commissioner, the Lib Dems think that the powers should be returned to Liverpool City Council as the Local Education Authority. 

Greater oversight of exclusions, SEND, and other education matters for all schools, including academies within the city council area, could help to mitigate the challenges facing schools.

The amendment also calls out Labour’s changes to the PSHE curriculum, in particular clauses 69–72 of the Relationships, Sex and Health Education framework. 

Cllr Liz Makinson argued this constituted a new “Section 28” for trans young people and those questioning their gender identity.

Cllr Liz Makinson, Lib Dem Deputy Leader and school teacher, said:

“We need decisions about schooling to be made at the local level – not by the Department for Education in Westminster, or a politically appointed schools commissioner for the whole of the Liverpool City Region, but here in Liverpool by the Council. As Lib Dems, we believe local authorities should be granted greater oversight of academies in the Local Education Authority – that way we put a stop to failings in SEND and exclusions.

“The Leader’s motion just doesn’t go far enough in making clear how poorly some academies in this city are failing students. It’s welcome that Labour backed us in pushing that bit harder – from Labour's new “Section 28” over trans rights to calling out the failure of some academies. But a new local authority maintained school is a step in the right direction.”