The recent history of school governance has been one of an accelerating decline in democratic accountability

Free schools and academy schools have been flagship education policies for the Coalition since it came to power in 2010. But while the government claims that these schools are more responsive to local needs, Chris Waterman argues that they have no accountability to local authorities or indeed, to the local communities whose children they educate. The rise of Free and Academy schools is part of a long-term trend of reform which has seen school governance move progressively farther away from local democratic accountability.