Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have conducted a review of whether the use of powers under section 26 (Collaboration between schools) of the Education Act 2002 and section 166 (Collaboration arrangements: maintained schools and further education bodies) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 is enabling educational bodies to collaborate effectively; and if not, why not.

The government wants to build a more collaborative, inclusive and higher-quality education system, in which local authorities, schools and other education providers work together, share expertise and improve outcomes for children and young people.

Existing legislation provides a range of mechanisms and duties to support collaboration and co-operation between maintained schools, and between maintained schools and further education bodies, as well as co-operation in relation to 14 to 19 education and training and co-operation between local authorities, schools and other educational bodies in relation to special educational needs and disabilities. These arrangements remain available where institutions consider them appropriate.

Additionally, the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 strengthens cooperation across the education and children’s services systems. This includes new duties for schools and local authorities to cooperate on school place planning and alternative provision, alongside provisions for multi-agency child protection teams, statutory information sharing and local authority registers of children not in school.