What is Local Education?
This is a complex question, and yet it is an important one. A quick definition would be to describe local education as the process by which students are taught in schools located in a given geographical area or town. The area must usually have a population of at least thirty thousand people, and the schools must be established in areas designated as being educational by the government. It is left to the parents to decide where they want their children to go to school.
Local education authorities are also the local councils within England and Wales who are ultimately responsible for running education in their locality. The term is often used to describe the bodies which are set up by the government to deal with the running of education in towns and cities. The councils are generally elected by the people living in the councils and are answerable to a board of members. The governing bodies have wide-ranging functions, including dealing with complaints about the education system and publishing a magazine, as well as exercising their right to make decisions on education policy.
The role of a local education authority is not limited to education. They can also deal with health issues, housing and regeneration, local development and children and family care. The local education authority also promotes literacy and reading programs and helps with things like child protection. These are all areas where the education is carried out, by teachers, and students come to school to learn and to improve their learning. The role is big, and there is plenty of work to be done.
- The education service is delivered in many different ways.
- In some places the education service is delivered by the district education service, which is a department within the national curriculum.
- In other places the education service is delivered by independent schools, colleges and academies.
- In many places the education service is delivered by faith-based schooling or church-based education.
- In other areas, the education service is delivered by a parent-teacher association.
In Wales, the education and teaching service are called and Academies Trust. There is also a National Education Agency in the UK that provides funding for the teaching profession, and local education partnerships. The Education Funding Council is the body that makes policy on education funding.
The functions and responsibility of a local education authority are vast. They must make sure that children learn from the knowledge and experiences of teachers and professionals. They must set standards, develop policies and monitor the performance of teachers and education professionals. This is why it is important to know who your local education authority is, and how they operate.
