Education minister Ruth Kelly promised councils greater powers to turn around ‘coasting', as well as poor-performing schools, in a keynote speech to teachers' union NASUWT last week. Ms Kelly said schools which were failing to challenge pupils would be given 15 days to improve before the council intervened, appointing new governors or controlling the school's budget. Councils will also have the power to compel a poor-performing school to team up with a more successful neighbour. The Local Government Association education spokesman, ~Les Lawrence~ welcomed the news.
