§ Dr. SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans she has to investigate the political impartiality of music teaching in Sheffield; and what actions are open to parents in this matter.
§ Mr. ForthCertain conditions must be met before my right hon. Friend can take action on a complaint of a breach of the law relating to the school curriculum.
Section 44 of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986 requires local education authorities, head teachers and school governing bodies to forbid the promotion of partisan political views in the teaching of any subject. Section 45 of the Act requires them to do as much as they reasonably can to see that any presentation of political issues to pupils is balanced and takes account of opposing views.
Parents who wish to complain about any apparent breach of curriculum law can do so under the arrangements established by all local education authorities under section 23 of the Education Reform Act 1988 for dealing with curriculum complaints. Schools must make details of these arrangements available on request. The Secretary of State cannot consider a curriculum complaint 417W until it has been disposed of locally by the governors, the local education authority, or both, as appropriate. He has received no complaint about music teaching in Sheffield.