Boris calls for London-wide education body

A report for the mayor calls for "a pan-London approach" to school places, free schools and raising standards.

With more schools opting out of local authority oversight and becoming academies there is a need for inter-school support, it says.

Currently the mayor has no statutory role in education.

At the present rate of change, all secondary schools in London will be academies by 2014 and all primaries by 2022.

As these schools are funded directly by central government and privately run, the role of local education authorities is shrinking.

The report, Going for Gold, says there is, however, a need for a strategic view of education in the capital, adding that "the mayor and the Greater London Authority can and should play more of a role".

"The context for education is changing across the whole of the UK as a result of government reforms," it says.

"It is clear that local authorities will continue to play a key role, but they will increasingly act as commissioners and provide brokerage, rather than directly managing schools.

"As schools move to academy status, they will be able to exercise new freedoms and be innovative, but they will also need to think strategically about what support they need and make connections beyond their borough boundaries.

"This is where a pan-London approach can be helpful."

It adds: "The GLA as the strategic authority for London can facilitate connections, share information, raise new funds and make a practical difference."

There is already a London-wide approach to school admissions, but since the abolition of the Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) in 1990, there has been no over-arching strategic overview of schools in the capital.

However, the report stresses the plan is not about "recreating" ILEA, or creating what it describes as "a bureaucratic middle tier."

In particular, the report authors suggest a joint approach with London boroughs and the Department for Education to tackle a predicted shortfall of 90,000 school places in London by 2016.

The mayor has also announced a new unit to identify sites for free school groups.

He wants to be able to use land and some of the GLA property portfolio for new schools.

The report argues that although London schools are performing well, with some of the best results in England, there is still room for improvement.

The report calls for more "excellent teaching" which "stretches all children, not only the brightest, but also those who struggle most, as well as those treading water in the middle".

Lead author Dr Tony Sewell said he had high ambitions for London pupils with more getting to top universities: "We want them to be winners not just medallists".

Earlier this week, the leaders of London's 33 borough councils demanded a greater role in tackling the capital's school places crisis and called for powers to monitor and intervene in weak academies, voicing concerns that weaknesses in these schools might not be spotted in time to prevent them failing their pupils. They intend to explore "potential overlaps, common objectives and areas for joint action" with the mayor.

A Department for Education spokeswoman said it would consider the report and respond in due course.

Steve Reed, London Councils' executive member for children and young People said: "This week the leaders of London's 32 boroughs signed up to a detailed set of proposals outlining how we can work closely with schools, parents and communities, as well as with the mayor, to ensure that London's schools continue to improve and that every child is able to find a good school place near to where they live.

"We are particularly concerned that academies and free schools must be open with parents about how they are performing so parents can make informed choices about which schools they trust to educate their children.

"These schools are funded with public money and they must be publicly accountable for it."