The Education Reform Act: how mixed a blessing for RE?

In the period between its publication as a draft Bill and the final version as the 1988 Education Reform Act it tripled in length. The additional sections on RE and Worship are part of this expansion. Overall however they represent but one controversial aspect of the legislation amongst many. The others include pupil admissions and parental choice; schools becoming responsible for managing their own finances for staff, buildings and resources; a new category of school permitting those presently maintained by an LEA or Diocese to be opted out from such control; the reorganisation of Higher Education with greater control exercised by the Funding Councils for Polytechnics and Colleges, and for Universities; and the abolition of the ILEA. These add up to quite massive shifts.