Archdiocese of Westminster

Consultation on School Organisation Proposals by the Learning and Skills Council under the Education Act 2002

The Response given here follows the format and numbering of the Draft Guidance.

Draft Statutory Guidance (Voluntary Aided Schools Version)

Paras. 10 & 33 We welcome the inclusion of dioceses in the list of consultees to receive the preliminary notice in Reg. 4(6). We consider this could be reflected more fully in the guidance by mentioning dioceses explicitly for instance in paragraphs 10 and 33 in relation to the organisation of post-16 provision.

Para. 25 We are pleased to see the retention of the criterion listed at the third bullet point.

Para. 58 For balance, it would be useful if this paragraph were also to recognise that for religious reasons some parents may wish their children to travel further in order to access provision with an appropriate religious ethos. It should be recognised that, traditionally, Catholic sixth-forms serve a wider geographical area than some other local provision.