Schools: Admissions Code

Debate between Baroness Evans of Bowes Park and Baroness Whitaker

Wednesday 9th March 2016 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Whitaker]

My Lords, following the noble Lord—

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

The noble Baroness can answer the question for me if she likes. As I said, we want to ensure that parents are at the heart of this process, which is why we want to ensure that adjudications are not held up by the need to consider large numbers of objections referred by interest groups. Unfortunately, because of some campaigns, parents now have to wait longer for the outcome of their appeals, and that cannot be right.

Schools: Exclusions

Debate between Baroness Evans of Bowes Park and Baroness Whitaker

Tuesday 15th December 2015 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

My noble friend will know that head teachers do not take lightly decisions to exclude pupils. He will also be aware that school staff have an ongoing responsibility for safeguarding pupils, whether at home or at school. Where a head teacher has concerns about the welfare of a pupil, they will be working with a range of local services, such as social services and safeguarding teams or local alternative providers, to make sure that there is a safe environment for them.

[Baroness Whitaker (Lab)]

My Lords, what are the Government going to do about the disproportionate number of Traveller boys excluded from school?