Nursery World - Independent schools face shake-up in rules

Independent schools in England face the first changes to their registration and monitoring for over 50 years, under plans revealed by the Government last week. The changes were outlined in a consultation paper published alongside the White Paper on schools. They were prompted in part by the need to accommodate recommendations made by two reports, Sir William Utting's report of the review of safeguards of children living away from home, published in November 1997, and last year's Waterhouse inquiry into abuse in children's homes in north Wales.

The changes were outlined in a consultation paper published alongside the White Paper on schools. They were prompted in part by the need to accommodate recommendations made by two reports, Sir William Utting's report of the review of safeguards of children living away from home, published in November 1997, and last year's Waterhouse inquiry into abuse in children's homes in north Wales.

The document said, 'The system for regulating and monitoring independent schools has remained largely unchanged for over 50 years and needs to be adapted for the needs and expectations of children and parents in the 21st century. It must provide a light touch for those schools where standards are high, but quick and effective penalties in the rare cases where children are placed at risk.'

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