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Local government leaders are angry that the government is resisting new moves to make schools more accountable for the wellbeing of children, particularly those in care, writes Craig Kenny.

One amendment to the Education Bill in the House of Lords proposes a duty on schools inspectors to examine how well schools are working with children’s services authorities to improve wellbeing.

Another amendment proposes that schools watchdog Ofsted checks a school’s progress in improving the educational attainment of looked-after children.

Similar moves to amend the Children’s Bill, backed by the Local Government Association, the police, children’s charities and school governors, were blocked last year following opposition from schools and teaching unions.

Councillor Alison King, chair of the LGA’s children and young people board, said schools should be made to co-operate with other agencies.

“There is a dislocation between schools, which are becoming more autonomous, and local authorities, which will be judged on their ability to provide for children’s wellbeing,” she said.

“In the Education Bill, we are talking about schools budgets being totally ring-fenced – that distances them further from the local authority.

‘We are going to be judged on something about which we have precious little control. We believe this is a huge and glaring omission in the legislation.’

But education minister Lord Filkin told the House of Lords that the amendment “represents a substantial loss of focus away from the school and the work it does for its own pupils”.

The crossbench peer, Earl of Listowel, said his amendments on looked-after children would provide a “real motor” to ensure that inspectors check on their progress in school.

But Lord Filkin could see no point in singling out one group of disadvantaged children. ‘We would be in danger of having a list of particular groups that the inspector had to think about and assess…That would fetter the inspector’s discretion.’

It is understood that the government plans to spell out the need for schools to co-operate with partner agencies in guidance to the bill.