Schools legislation labelled 'charter for whingers'

Teachers will require a "licence to teach" and parents and pupils will be guaranteed certain rights from the schools system under controversial new legislation confirmed today.

The new Children, Schools and Families Bill will see the introduction of a set of pupil and parent guarantees, setting out what each can expect from the education system, and providing a means of redress if these expectations are not met.

But the plans, outlined in the Queen's Speech, have come under fire from school leaders, who have warned it risks becoming a "whingers' charter" for litigious parents.

Under the guarantees parents will have the right to demand information about their child's performance and about their child's school, closer involvement with their child's progress through a designated tutor, including regular face-to-face meetings and more influence over their schools.

Pupils will be guaranteed a say on how their school is doing and how it can be improved, and primary school children who are falling behind in English or maths will get one-to-one help.

If a parent believe a school is failing to meet the guarantees they can complain to the head, then to the local authority, and then to the Local Government Ombudsman.

Schools Secretary Ed Balls has previously admitted that if these avenues fail to provide a resolution then a parent could take a school to court in the form of a judicial review.

He insisted this would be a "last resort."

But John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) warned ahead of the speech: "School leaders are extremely concerned that these 'guarantees' will turn into a whingers' charter for the more litigious parents to complain, first to the head, then to the governors, then to the Local Government Ombudsman service, which has just been created by last week's new education act.

"This will create an immense amount of work for school leaders, who are currently trying, with government encouragement, to create more productive relationships with parents."

The Bill also introduces the new "licence to teach" which will see teachers undergo five-year check-ups to ensure they are fit to be in the classroom.

The National Union of Teachers have opposed the licence, with some 10,000 members signing postcards declaring they are against it.

The NUT said the measure is unnecessary, and there are already "too many hoops for teachers to jump through."

The legislation also confirms the introduction of a new curriculum for primary schools, following on from Sir Jim Rose's review earlier this year, and makes Personal, Social, and Health Education (PSHE) a mandatory part of the curriculum for all schools.

It means that all children will receive at least one year of sex education before they reach 16.

All parents who choose to home educate their child will be forced to register under the new legislation, and there are new rules to strengthen local authorities' powers to inspect and intervene to protect the most vulnerable children.

It also states that there will be a review of the publication of information relating to family court proceedings.

Chris Keates, general secretary of the NASUWT teaching union said: "The Government appears to take the view that, like handbags, you can never have too many education bills.

"It's a tight parliamentary timescale for a Bill which contains some important provisions. Despite this there can be no compromise on getting the details right."