One of the great strengths of devolution in England is proving to be its ability to fix issues long ignored by Westminster. Having won Greater Manchester’s right to bring buses back under public control, our attention now turns to the equally neglected but more contested territory of technical education. It will be a big test of whether Westminster is truly prepared to let go.
Schools policy used to be more localised but, in an era of an all-powerful Ofsted and academisation, it is now highly centralised; despite greater curriculum autonomy, academy reporting lines and oversight are to the Department for Education rather than being rooted in the place they serve.
