Department for Children, Families and Schools
DfES: Employers

Office of the Schools Commissioner

The roles of the Schools Commissioner and Office of the Schools Commissioner (OSC) were laid out in the White Paper Higher Standards, Better Schools for All (October 2005).

The Schools Commissioner has a wide remit focused on promoting four key themes – choice and diversity in schools, fair access, parental involvement and the new role of local authorities as commissioners.

Sir Bruce Liddington was announced as the first Schools Commissioner on 7 September 2006 by the Prime Minister.

The Schools Commissioner’s Role

  1. Promoting choice and diversity
    The Schools Commissioner challenges local authorities to provide a diverse range of schools to match the needs of their local area and to tackle poorly performing schools. For this, the Schools Commissioner develops early academy proposals and attracts potential partners for trust schools. He looks for a diverse range of good school places tailored to the needs of every child.

  2. Championing fair access
    The revised School Admissions Code, which came into force in February 2007 will first be used for the September 2008 admissions process and will ensure that the admissions system is fair, clear and easy to understand for all. Innovative transport solutions will also be promoted along with the use of Choice Advisors. No child will be denied access to a good school place.

  3. Parental involvement, choice and satisfaction
    The Schools Commissioner supports the greater involvement of parents in the school system by encouraging local authorities to take account of parents’ views and by specifically supporting parent promoter groups. A choice between a good school and a poor school is no choice at all.

  4. Local authority commissioning role
    The Schools Commissioner helps local authorities to develop their new role as strategic commissioners of schools. This new role will allow local authorities to challenge poorly performing schools more effectively, plan for the long term and be more responsive to parental wishes.

This process is being developed through 15 pathfinder authorities, all of which are working on best practice.

Related links

Higher Standards, Better Schools for All

First Schools Commissioner appointed

School Admissions Code


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