Local education authorities (LEAs) were defined in England and Wales as the local councils responsible for education within their jurisdictions. The term was introduced by the Education Act 1902 which transferred education powers from school boards to existing local councils.
There have been periodic changes to the types of councils defined as local education authorities. Initially, they were the councils of counties and county boroughs. From 1974 the local education authorities were the county councils in non-metropolitan areas and the district councils in metropolitan areas. In Greater London, the ad hoc Inner London Education Authority existed from 1965 to 1990. Outer London borough councils have been LEAs since 1965 and inner London borough councils since 1990. Unitary authorities created since 1995 have all been LEAs.
The functions of LEAs have varied over time as council responsibilities for local education have changed. On 1 April 2009, their powers were transferred to directors of children's services.[1] The Children Act 2004 required every London borough, metropolitan district, top-tier local authority (county) or UA in England to appoint a director of children's services. The Education and Inspections Act 2006 includes a clause that allows for the future renaming of LEAs as local authorities in all legislation, removing the anomaly of one local authority being known as an LEA and a children's services authority.
The term was introduced by the Education Act 1902 (2 Edw. 7. c. 42). The legislation designated each local authority; either county council and county borough council; would set up a committee known as a local education authority (LEA).[2] The councils took over the powers and responsibilities of the school boards and technical instruction committees in their area.
Municipal boroughs with a population of 10,000 and urban districts with a population of 20,000 were to be local education authorities in their areas for elementary education only.
In 1904 the London County Council became a local education authority, with the abolition of the London School Board. The metropolitan boroughs within London were not education authorities, although they were given the power to decide on the site for new schools in their areas, and provided the majority of members on boards of management.
The LEAs' role was further expanded with the introduction of school meals in 1906 and medical inspection in 1907.[2]
The Education Act 1944 changed the requirements for delegation of functions from county councils to districts and boroughs. The population requirement for excepted districts became 60,000 or 7,000 pupils registered in elementary schools.[3] The Local Government Act 1958 permitted any county district to apply for excepted district status.
In 1965 the London County Council, Middlesex County Council and the councils of the county boroughs of Croydon, East Ham and West Ham were replaced by the Greater London Council. The twenty outer London boroughs became local education authorities, while a new Inner London Education Authority, consisting of the members of the GLC elected for the twelve inner London boroughs covering the former County of London was created.[4]
In 1974 local government outside London was completely reorganised. In the new metropolitan counties of England and Wales, metropolitan boroughs became LEAs. In the non-metropolitan counties the county councils were the education authorities.[5]
In 1986, with the abolition of the Greater London Council, the Inner London Education Authority became directly elected. This however only lasted until 1990, when the twelve inner London boroughs assumed responsibility for education.
In 1989, under the Education Reform Act 1988, the LEAs lost responsibility for higher education, with all polytechnics and colleges of higher education becoming independent corporations.
A further wave of local government reorganisation during the 1990s led to the formation of unitary authorities in parts of England and throughout Wales, which became local education authorities.[6]
The Children Act 2004 defined each local education authority as additionally a children's services authority, with responsibility for both functions held by the director of children's services.[7]
The Local Education Authorities and Children’s Services Authorities (Integration of Functions) Order 2010 removed all reference to local education authorities and children's services authorities from existing legislation, replacing them with the term 'local authority'. A local authority for the purposes of the Education Act 1996 and the Children Act 2004 was defined as the county council, metropolitan district council, unitary authority, London borough council and the Common Council of the City of London. Schedule 1 of the order inserted in the Education Act 1996 a list of 'education functions' for the relevant local authorities.[8] Despite the term becoming obsolete, 'local education authority' continues to be used to distinguish local authorities with education functions from those without them.[9]
In Wales the councils of the counties and county boroughs are responsible for education. Since 5 May 2010, the terms local education authority and children's services authority have been repealed and replaced by the single term 'local authority' in both primary and secondary legislation.[10]
Local education authorities had some responsibility for all state schools in their area.
Until recently, local education authorities were responsible for the funding of students in higher education (for example undergraduate courses and PGCE) whose permanent address is in their area, regardless of the place of study. Based on an assessment of individual circumstances they offer grants or access to student loans through the Student Loans Company.
Statutory education functions for local authorities in England are as follows:[8]
England has several tiers of local government and the relevant local authority varies. Within Greater London the 32 London borough councils and the Common Council of the City of London are the local authorities responsible for education; in the metropolitan counties it is the 36 metropolitan borough councils; and in the non-metropolitan counties it is the 21 county councils or, where there is no county council, the councils of the 62 unitary authorities. The Council of the Isles of Scilly is an education authority.[7] There are 153 local education authorities in England.
There are currently 153 local education authorities in England. Below they are listed alphabetically by region.[14]