Progressive introduction of the Education Reform Act 1988 in the schools sector – the story so far

This article charts the phasing in of the Education Reform Act (ERA) 1988 reforms, showing the legal position reached by August 1991.     

Local Authorities and the Accountability Gap in a Fragmenting Schools System

Reforms to the English education system under the UK's coalition government are building on the so‐called ‘schools revolution’ that previous Labour governments began through legislation increasing both schools' autonomy from local authorities and the system's diversity. Growing numbers of state‐funded schools have converted to academies outside local authority control, particularly since the Academies Act 2010, while opportunities have emerged for ‘free schools’ to be established by various interest groups. The right to establish a school has normative human rights underpinnings, yet the government's policy as a whole is particularly controversial due to the increased risk of social division, instability of local schooling arrangements and significantly reduced local democratic accountability for state funded education. This article questions whether, against a background of three decades of centralising educational reform and a concomitant decline in the role of local (education) authorities, the local public interest in education is being adequately safeguarded.     

Drugs in oral fluid: Part II. Investigation of drugs in drivers

As part of the European project, Impaired Motorists, Methods of Roadside Testing and Assessment for Licensing, otherwise known as IMMORTAL (Deliverable R4.2), the University of Glasgow was required to analyse 1396 oral fluid samples, collected from drivers, for a wide range of drugs. A previously described method to include 49 drugs and metabolites was used. To include cannabis in the study a separate extraction method was required because of interferences caused by the collection device. The study group included drivers who were stopped at random and participation was entirely voluntary. The results showed that out of the 1396 samples tested, 16.8% were positive for at least one drug. In the majority of positive cases (85%), monodrug use was found and the most commonly detected drug was 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine. This study showed that a significant number of the driving population are positive for at least one drug.     

Poor educational standards and Part V of the Education Act 1 993

This article offers a critical examination of Part V of the Education Act 1993, which builds on the quality assurance regime provided for by the Education (Schools) Act 1992. Among its many important provisions are new powers for special measures to be taken in respect of ‘failing’ schools.