The way schools are organized, governed and funded plays an essential part in the government's objective of raising standards in education. The proposals in this White Paper build on some of the key principles underlying the governments recent reform, including the importance of parental choice in deciding the education they want for their children and that schools should have more freedom to run their own affairs. More self-government for all schools is central to raising standards and extending diversity. Building on progress made so far, the government proposes a range of new measures which it would introduce once the legislation was in place.