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Education Reform Act 1988

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Citation
  
1988 c. 40

Royal assent
  
29 July 1988

Education Reform Act 1988

Long title
  
An Act to amend the law relating to education.

Territorial extent
  
Whole act England and Wales; ss. 131, 134, 202-205, 207, 214-216, 231, 232, 235-236 and 238 and Sch. 8 and 11 Scotland; ss. 208 and 217(1) Northern Ireland; amendments of legislation which extends to Northern Ireland and Scotland also extend there

Commencement
  
Various dates from 29 July 1988 to 1 August 1992

Amended by
  
Further and Higher Education Act 1992, Education Act 1996

The Education Reform Act 1988 is widely regarded as the most important single piece of education legislation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland since the 'Butler' Education Act 1944.

Contents

Provisions

The main provisions of the Education Reform Act are as follows:

  • Academic tenure was abolished for academics appointed on or after 20 November 1987.
  • An element of choice was introduced, where parents could specify which school was their preferred choice.
  • City Technology Colleges (CTCs) were introduced. This part of the Act allowed new more autonomous schools to be taken out of the direct financial control of Local Authorities. Financial control would be handed to the head teacher and governors of a school. There was also a requirement for partial private funding. There were only 15 schools that were eventually set up. The successor to this programme was the establishment of Academies.
  • Controls on the use of the word 'degree' were introduced with respect to UK bodies.
  • Grant-maintained schools (GMS) were introduced. Primary and secondary schools could, under this provision, remove themselves fully from their respective local education authorities and would be completely funded by central government. Secondary schools also had limited selection powers at the age of 11.
  • 'Key Stages' (KS) were introduced in schools. At each key stage a number of educational objectives were to be achieved.
  • Local Management of Schools (LMS) was introduced. This part of the Act allowed all schools to be taken out of the direct financial control of local authorities. Financial control would be handed to the head teacher and governors of a school.
  • The National Curriculum (NC) was introduced.
  • Took the control of higher and further education provision out of Local Authority control

    • Use of the word 'degree'

    The Act uses a common technique in UK legislation in that it makes it illegal to offer or advertise any qualification that appears to be, or might be mistaken for a UK degree. This restriction is then removed in respect of qualifications from bodies on a list maintained by Statutory Instrument.

    Religion

    The act required "broadly Christian" acts of worship in schools. The National Muslim Education Council objected that the wording to be changed to "the worship of the one supreme God".

    This requirement was built upon in the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.

    References

    Education Reform Act 1988 Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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