The new select committee established under the new governments has reported on the responses to the demands made by the outgoing committee prior to the General Election (see STF news item House of Commons Select Committee report demands more support for school trips. 01/02/2010)
No surprises, government claims to be supportive of the benefits of LOtC and school trips BUT:
- Government is looking to free up schools to make own decisions and will not apply more regulations or bureaucracy.
- The LOtC Council is now to be self-funding & not receive further grants. Beth Gardner, the CEO of the LOtC Council, has already advised us that the Council and particularly the Quality Badge will be able to continue
- They Will link any new H&S advice to the Lord Young Report
- A 'No' to giving children a right to a residential experience every year.
- Ofsted are saying that they already have moved LOtC up their agenda when assessing schools.
Full details can be found here:
http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/education-committee/news/publication-of-government-and-ofsted-responses-lotc/