LIVERPOOL LEA FACES OVERHAUL OF ITS EDUCATION SERVICE - MORRIS
Liverpool Local Education Authority (LEA) will undergo major changes to most of its education service, School Standards Minister Estelle Morris said today.
The Department and Liverpool City Council jointly commissioned the consultants KPMG following a critical inspection on Liverpool LEA.
Responding to the consultants’ report, Ms Morris said:
"I fully accept the recommendations of the consultants. Their conclusion is clear. The LEA is seriously failing in its role to support the raising of standards in Liverpool schools.
"The consultants recommend radical changes, some of which must take place immediately, and the rest as soon as possible afterwards. The immediate changes are the restructuring of the LEA’s Education Department from five divisions to three, and the recruitment of a new permanent Director of Education.
"The consultants also recommend the preparation for large scale outsourcing of almost the whole of the education service. In this case, the services to the schools would then be provided by an alternative contractor. The consultants will work up this option by Christmas, when a final decision will be taken.
"Liverpool LEA has failed it schools for many years. There can be no doubt that a radical solution is needed if this is to change. That is why both we and Liverpool City Council jointly accept the consultants’ recommendation to prepare to contract out the City’s education service."
