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Welcome to the Department for Children, Schools and Families e-consultation website. From here you can access all of our live and archived consultations, or view the results of consultations.
Consultations are listed in date order – the most recent at the top of the list. You can also use the search facility to find a consultation by title or keyword.
To view and/or respond to a consultation, click on the title.
You can create your own user account and subscribe to receive email updates when new consultations are published by visiting the Register page. Creating a user account also allows you to partially complete your response and return to it at a later date.
This consultation seeks your views on proposed amendments to the Education (School Teachers' Qualifications) (England) Regulations 2003 which govern who can gain qualified teacher status (QTS). Subject to consultation and to Parliament we are aiming to bring amending regulations into force on 1 January 2010.
Launch Date: Thursday 9 July 2009
Closing Date: Thursday 1 October 2009
The Children, Young People and Families (CYPF) grant programme provides funding to third sector organisations for activities which support delivery of the Every Child Matters agenda and the Department's Children's Plan. This consultation seeks the views of the third sector and any other interested parties on the future approach and shape of the grant programme.
Launch Date: Monday 29 June 2009
Closing Date: Monday 5 October 2009
Following the review of home education, the Government is proposing to introduce arrangements for the registration and monitoring of home educated children. The consultation document sets out our proposals for a registration scheme and arrangements for the monitoring of provision to ensure that children are receiving the education they are entitled to. There is also a proposal that where there are serious concerns about the ability of the parent to provide their child with a suitable education in a safe environment then they should not be permitted to educate their child at home. The consultation seeks the views of home educating families, groups representing home educating families, local authorities, other agencies involved in the provision of services for children, and the public, on our proposals.
Launch Date: Thursday 11 June 2009
Closing Date: Monday 19 October 2009
The importance to the UK of having a society that is interested in and values science is widely recognised. In order to create a scientifically literate society it is imperative that we provide the best possible science education to the next generation, particularly since science is likely to play an increasingly prominent role during the 21st century. This consultation seeks to establish the perceptions from both the science and education communities, and from young people and their parents, about the strengths and weaknesses of the current education of young people in science and mathematics.
Launch Date: Friday 5 June 2009
Closing Date: Friday 18 September 2009
Following the review of the implementation of guidance on handling allegations of abuse against those who work with children or young people, the Government made a commitment to publish additional practice guidance.
The practice guidance is supplementary to the guidance contained in Appendix 5 of Working Together to Safeguard Children and Chapter 5 of Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment in Education. It sets out the statutory framework and underlying principles of handling allegations of abuse for those involved in dealing with allegations. It covers practical issues surrounding exercising professional judgement along with information sharing and record keeping. It also takes you through the allegations process through to referral to the Independent Safeguarding Authority.
We would like your views on the guidance by 7 August 2009.
Launch Date: Wednesday 13 May 2009
Closing Date: Friday 7 August 2009
This guidance is a revised version of the existing guidance, 'Promoting the Health of Looked After Children', which was published by the Department of Health in 2002. The revised guidance will be statutory on PCTs and on Strategic Health Authorities as well as local authorities.
Launch Date: Monday 11 May 2009
Closing Date: Monday 3 August 2009
The Education and Skills Act 2008 requires schools to have regard to guidance issued by the Secretary of State when complying with their careers education and guidance duties. This consultation invites stakeholders to comment on the draft guidance.
Launch Date: Thursday 7 May 2009
Closing Date: Thursday 30 July 2009
The School Staffing (England) Regulations 2003 have, over time, had a number of amendments made to them and in some places are written in a way that is neither up to date nor helpful to the end user. Therefore, in order to make necessary changes which will bring the Regulations up to date with current legislation and reflect what is required by new policy we are carrying out a consolidation and redrafting exercise. In accordance with Government policy, we now wish to formally consult interested parties on this consolidation exercise over a twelve week period ending on 24 July.
Launch Date: Friday 1 May 2009
Closing Date: Friday 24 July 2009
A consultation on giving children and young people a right to appeal decisions regarding exclusions, SEN statements and assessments and to make disability discrimination claims in England.
Summary
In line with the Government’s commitment to give young people more say in the processes and decisions that affect them, this consultation seeks the views of children and young people, parents, carers, governing bodies, local government, school staff, teaching and support staff unions (including professional bodies), Tribunal and independent appeal panel members, associated representative organisations and the voluntary sector on:
• the principle of giving children and young people ages 16 and over the right to appeal a decision to permanently exclude them from school;
• the principle of giving children and young people the right to appeal special educational needs (SEN) statements and assessments and to make claims concerning disability discrimination; the age at which young people should be able do so; and the level of understanding required by children and young people to effectively exercise these rights, and whether a competency measure is required;
• whether existing systems are sufficient to support children and young people in exercising these rights, and the new right of young people to appeal a decision on admission from the age of 16;
• handling disagreement between parents, children and young people about appeals; and
• how looked after children can be better supported to avoid or manage permanent exclusion within the secondary school environment.
This consultation will run for 12 weeks. Subject to the outcome of the consultation and the available funding, the Government will seek to introduce revised arrangements for young people’s appeals, and, where appropriate, to legislate to introduce the new arrangements.
Launch Date: Tuesday 28 April 2009
Closing Date: Tuesday 28 July 2009
The Department for Children, Schools and Families, Local Government Association and Children's Workforce Development Council, working closely with key organisations across the Education, Skills and Children’s Services Sector, have developed proposals for harmonised data standards and definitions for the Children’s and Young People’s and Local Government Workforce, about which we would like your views by 20 July 2009. In addition to the standards and definitions, we have also developed a data model which is included in the consultation documents.
Launch Date: Monday 27 April 2009
Closing Date: Monday 20 July 2009
The Education and Skills Act 2008 places a statutory responsibility on local authorities to make arrangements for assessments of learning difficulties to be conducted (formerly known as s140 assessments but now covered by s139 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000). The Act states that "in exercising its functions....an authority must have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State". A draft version of this guidance has been produced and has been issued to local authorities and other stakeholders for consultation. We would also welcome views from any other interested parties.
Launch Date: Thursday 23 April 2009
Closing Date: Thursday 16 July 2009
Proposed changes to the Schools Forums (England) Regulations
The Department for Children, Schools and Families has produced new draft Schools Forums (England) Regulations 2009 to give effect to recent legislation and policy developments.
The proposed changes to the regulations bring academies into membership of the forums, as well as making it compulsory to include non schools members, (representatives from the 14-19 partnership and early years providers). The consultation also asks for opinions on making early years PVI representation more effective, and an option to change the composition of schools members of Schools Forums to reflect locality working, from 2011.
We would like your views on these proposals. Please send any email responses here.
Launch Date: Friday 5 June 2009
Closing Date: Friday 28 August 2009
Please click here to access the consultation
The Department for Children, Schools and Families is proposing reforming the primary curriculum, following the publication of the independent review of the primary curriculum by Sir Jim Rose; revising the legal requirements for personal, social, health and economic education, following the publication of Sir Alasdair Macdonald's review of personal, social, health and economic education; updating the National Curriculum subject level descriptions; and updating the religious education guidance.
We would like your views on these proposals by 24th July, 2009.
Launch Date: Thursday 30 April 2009
Closing Date: Friday 24 July 2009
Please click here to access the consultation
