|
Local authority commissioning role
The Every Child Matters programme, the Ten Year Childcare Strategy, the Schools White Paper 2005 and the Education and Inspections Act 2006 all articulate a new role for local authorities as commissioners rather than direct providers of services.
As leaders in their community, local authorities are responsible for shaping a system that meets local needs.
The strategic planning and commissioning of schools draws on the principles set out in the framework for the commissioning of children's services.
It emphasises the importance of strategic planning and develops an approach to commissioning which goes far wider than a simple procurement process.
The local authority pathfinders are exploring the practical implications of the local authority's role in commissioning school places and services. This goes across the four strands of the commissioning cycle - Establishing demand, Planning, Implementation and Support & Challenge.
The pathfinders' work will provide valuable experience of the process of developing capacity and capability for commissioning, which will inform commissioning reforms across all 150 local authorities.
Some of the issues they are addressing include:
- School improvement plans
- School trusts and joint commissioning
- Strategic reviews of school places
- Parental engagement
- Embedding partnerships and community cohesion.
Links to Standards site discussion forums
LAs' commissioning role
Commissioning pathfinders
Related links
Every Child Matters
Ten Year Childcare Strategy
Schools White Paper 2005
Education and Inspections Act 2006
