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Councils should be able to set up multi-academy trusts, says LGA
LOCAL authorities with a track record of strong educational performance should be allowed to set-up their own Multi- Academy Trusts (MATs), says the Local Government Association. The LGA believes that schools should
be given the freedom to choose – in partnership with parents and councils – whichever structure is most appropriate for local children; and if that means councils setting up their own MATs then they should be able to do so. With 91% of maintained schools now
rated as either outstanding or good by Ofsted, this was also the conclusion reached in a recent report from the House of Commons Education Committee (28 February). Richard Watts, chair of the LGA's
Schools to receive £415m to support healthier lifestyles
SCHOOLS are to receive £415m to help pupils benefit from healthier, more active lifestyles. Primary and secondary schools and
sixth-form colleges will be able to use the funding to pay for facilities to support PE, after-school activities and healthy eating. Schools will also be able to use the new healthy pupils capital programme to improve facilities for children with physical conditions or support young people struggling with mental health issues. Alongside the funding for the PE and
sport premium, breakfast clubs and universal infant free school meals, it represents over £1.3 billion investment in the 2018 to 2019 academic year to help young people live healthier lifestyles. This builds on wider government work such as the recent sports strategy. Education Secretary Justine Greening
said: “Schools can really help our children get a healthy start in life from exercise and sport, and also from knowing what a healthy diet means. It’s not only good for
them while they’re in education, but the health and wellbeing benefits can last a lifetime.” Local authorities and larger multi-
academy trusts will receive an allocation for schools and will make decisions locally on how this money is invested. Smaller multi-academy trusts, individual academies and sixth-form centres will be able to bid for grants for specific one- off projects. The money - from the Soft Drinks
Industry Levy - will be available to schools in the 2018 to 2019 financial year. Government has pledged that the amount schools receive will not fall below £415m regardless of the funds generated by the levy. The healthy pupils capital programme
will build on the Government’s plans for schools to provide a longer school day by changing the focus of the scheme to provide new facilities or improve existing ones to make it easier for a range of extra-curricular activities to be provided.
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Children and Young People Board, commented: “The LGA has long been concerned about the lack of local accountability, financial oversight and governance arrangements that exist for Multi-Academy Trusts. "If parents are concerned about an
academy, at the moment all they can do is raise their concerns with a distant regional schools commissioner or the remote Department for Education. Allowing local authorities to set up MATS would ensure the council and its directly elected councillors, who know their local schools and the communities they serve better than anyone else, will be able to step in and help.”
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