Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made on the area-based approach to commissioning trusts which will be rolled out in the Education Investment Areas this term.

Officials have discussed with local authorities and Dioceses in Education Investment Areas (EIAs) the strategic needs of their areas and how area-based commissioning of trusts might take place. That exercise is leading to the development of statements that the department expects to publish later this year.

In addition, regulations came into force on 1 September enabling the Secretary of State for Education to intervene in schools judged as Requires Improvement by Ofsted which were also judged below Good at their previous inspection, where they are not making the necessary improvements. The department plans to write to schools in EIAs informing them that they are eligible for intervention and inviting them to make representations.