School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (c. 31)

(The document as of February, 2008)

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• "the relevant purposes" means, in relation to a transfer to a school's foundation body, the purposes of the schools comprising the group for which that body acts;

• "site" does not include playing fields but otherwise includes any site which is to form part of the premises of the school in question.

Grants by Secretary of State in respect of expenditure on premises or equipment

5 (1) The Secretary of State may make grants--

(a) to the governing body of a voluntary aided school in respect of qualifying expenditure incurred by them; or

(b) to a relevant body in the case of such a school, in respect of qualifying expenditure incurred by that body on behalf of the governing body.

(2) In sub-paragraph (1) "qualifying expenditure" means expenditure in respect of the provision, alteration or repair of premises or equipment for the school.

(3) The amount of any grant paid under this paragraph in respect of any such expenditure--

(a) shall not exceed 85 per cent. of the expenditure, and

(b) in the case of any prescribed class or description of such expenditure, shall be such as may be determined in accordance with regulations.

(4) The times at which, and the manner in which, payments are made in respect of a grant under this paragraph shall be such as may be determined from time to time by the Secretary of State.

(5) Without prejudice to any other duty of his, the Secretary of State shall, in performing functions relating to the exercise of the power under this paragraph to make grants in respect of expenditure on--

(a) such alterations to school buildings as are referred to in paragraph 3(2)(a), or

(b) the repair of school buildings,

give priority to paying grants in respect of expenditure which is necessary for the performance by governing bodies of their duties; and the amount of any grant paid in the exercise of that power in respect of such expenditure on the repair of school buildings shall be 85 per cent. of the expenditure.

(6) Any body to whom any payment is made in respect of a grant under this paragraph shall comply with such requirements determined by the Secretary of State as he may from time to time impose.

(7) Such requirements--

(a) may be imposed on, or at any time after, the making of any payment by reference to which they are imposed, and

(b) may at any time be waived, removed or varied by the Secretary of State;

but such requirements may be imposed after the making of any such payment only if the Secretary of State is satisfied that in all the circumstances it is reasonable for them to be so imposed.

(8) Such requirements may, in particular, if any conditions specified in the requirements are satisfied--

(a) require the application for purposes connected with the provision of education in appropriate schools of--

(i) any premises or equipment in respect of which the grant has been paid under this paragraph, or

(ii) an amount equal to so much of the value of any such premises or equipment as is determined in accordance with the requirements to be properly attributable to the payment of the grant; and

(b) in the event that that requirement is not complied with, require the payment to the Secretary of State of the whole or any part of the following amount.

(9) That amount is--

(a) the amount of the payments made in respect of the grant under this paragraph, or

(b) the amount mentioned in sub-paragraph (8)(a)(ii),

whichever the Secretary of State determines to be just.

(10) When deciding whether to make any grant to a body under this paragraph in circumstances where he considers that it would be appropriate to impose requirements falling within sub-paragraph (8), the Secretary of State may have regard to whether, if such requirements were imposed, that body would have an enforceable right against some other person to be given by that person such financial assistance as would be necessary to enable them to pay to the Secretary of State the amount mentioned in sub-paragraph (9).

(11) No grant may be paid under this paragraph in respect of any expenses incurred in the provision of any premises which it is the duty of the local education authority to provide.

(12) In this paragraph--

• "appropriate schools"--

  (a)

  in relation to a voluntary aided school having a religious character, means schools which are either foundation or voluntary schools and whose specified religion or religious denomination under section 69(4) is the same as that school's, and

  (b)

  in relation to any other voluntary aided school, means maintained schools;

• "relevant body", in relation to a voluntary aided school, means the appropriate diocesan authority or the school's trustees;

• "repair" does not include repair falling within paragraph 3(3).

Grants by Secretary of State in respect of preliminary expenditure

6 (1) The Secretary of State may pay grants--

(a) to the governing body of a voluntary aided school in respect of preliminary expenditure incurred by them for the purposes of any scheme for the transfer of the school to a new site or the enlargement or alteration of the school premises, or

(b) to a relevant body in the case of such a school, in respect of any preliminary expenditure incurred by them, on behalf of the governing body, for the purposes of any such scheme.

(2) Where any persons propose or are considering whether to propose the establishment of a voluntary aided school, the Secretary of State may pay grants to them in respect of any preliminary expenditure incurred by them for the purposes of a scheme for the provision of a site for the school or of any buildings which would be school buildings.

(3) Grants under sub-paragraph (1) or (2) may be paid in respect of a scheme such as is mentioned in that sub-paragraph whether or not--

(a) the details of such a scheme had been formulated at the time when the expenditure was incurred,

(b) where such details were not formulated at that time, they are subsequently formulated,

(c) the governing body or persons in question had determined to proceed with such a scheme at that time, or

(d) where they had not determined to proceed with such a scheme at that time, they subsequently determine to proceed with such a scheme.

(4) Expenditure in respect of which such grants are payable includes, in particular, costs incurred in connection with--

(a) the preparation of plans and specifications for any proposed construction, enlargement or alteration of buildings which are or would be school buildings, and

(b) estimating the sums which would be expended if any such works were carried out,

but does not include any sums expended in carrying out any such works.

(5) A grant under sub-paragraph (1) or (2) shall not exceed 85 per cent. of the expenditure in respect of which it is paid.

(6) Where--

(a) a grant is paid under sub-paragraph (1) in the case of any voluntary aided school, or

(b) a grant is paid under sub-paragraph (2) in the case of any school which is established as a voluntary aided school,

the grant shall for the purposes of section 30(2) be treated as expenditure incurred by the Secretary of State (otherwise than in connection with repairs) in respect of the school premises.

(7) In this paragraph "relevant body", in relation to a voluntary aided school, means the appropriate diocesan authority or the school's trustees.

Loans by Secretary of State in respect of initial expenses

7 (1) Where, on the application of the governing body of a voluntary aided school and after consulting persons representing the governing body, the Secretary of State--

(a) is satisfied that the governing body's share of any initial expenses required in connection with the school premises will involve capital expenditure, and

(b) having regard to all the circumstances of the case, considers that that expenditure ought properly to be met by borrowing,

he may make a loan to the governing body for the purpose of helping them meet that expenditure.

(2) The amount, rate of interest and other terms and conditions applicable to the loan shall be such as may be specified in an agreement made between the Secretary of State and the governing body with the consent of the Treasury.

(3) For the purposes of this paragraph "initial expenses" are expenses to be incurred in providing--

(a) a site or school buildings for a voluntary aided school in connection with--

(i) the implementation of any proposals for a prescribed alteration to the school published under section 28, or

(ii) the transfer of the school to a new site, or

(b) a site or school buildings for a new voluntary aided school,

being expenses in respect of which grants may be paid under paragraph 5.

(4) For the purposes of this paragraph the governing body's share of any initial expenses shall be taken to be so much of the expenses as remains to be borne by the governing body after taking into account the amount of any grant under paragraph 5 that may be paid or payable in respect of them.

(5) The preceding provisions of this paragraph shall apply for the purpose of enabling loans to be made to a relevant body (within the meaning of paragraph 5) in respect of expenses incurred by that body on behalf of the governing body as it applies to expenses incurred by the governing body; and in those provisions, as they apply in relation to a new voluntary aided school, references to the governing body are to the promoters.

(6) Paragraph 3(3) of Schedule 10 (consent to borrowing) does not apply to any borrowing by a governing body under this paragraph.

Assistance by LEAs in respect of maintenance and other obligations of governing bodies

8 A local education authority may give to the governing body of a voluntary aided school such assistance as the authority think fit in relation to the carrying out by the governing body of any obligation under paragraph 3.

Duty to transfer interest in premises provided under paragraph 8

9 (1) Where assistance under paragraph 8 consists of the provision of any premises for use for the purposes of a school, the local education authority shall transfer their interest in the premises--

(a) to the trustees of the school, to be held by them on trust for the purposes of the school, or

(b) if the school has no trustees, to the school's foundation body, to be held by that body for the relevant purposes.

(2) If any doubt or dispute arises as to the persons to whom the authority are required to make the transfer, it shall be made to such persons as the Secretary of State thinks proper.

(3) The authority shall pay to the persons to whom the transfer is made their reasonable costs in connection with the transfer.

(4) In this paragraph "the relevant purposes" means, in relation to a transfer to a school's foundation body, the purposes of the schools comprising the group for which that body acts.

Part III Foundation, voluntary and foundation special schools: common provisions

Default powers of Secretary of State

10 (1) Where it appears to the Secretary of State that a local education authority have defaulted in the discharge of their duties relating to the maintenance of a foundation, voluntary or foundation special school, he may--

(a) direct that any act done by or on behalf of the school's governing body for the purpose of securing the proper maintenance of the school shall be taken to have been done by or on behalf of the authority, and

(b) reimburse to the governing body any sums which in his opinion they have properly expended for that purpose.

(2) The amount of any sum reimbursed under sub-paragraph (1) shall be recoverable by the Secretary of State as a debt due to him from the authority; and without prejudice to any other method of recovery the whole or any part of any such sum may be deducted from any sums payable to the authority by the Secretary of State in pursuance of any regulations relating to the payment of grants.

Endowments

11 Where any sums accruing in respect of the income of an endowment are required by virtue of the provisions of a trust deed to be applied towards the maintenance of a foundation, voluntary or foundation special school, those sums shall not be payable to the local education authority but shall be applied by the governing body of the school--

(a) (in the case of a voluntary aided school) towards the discharge of their obligations under paragraph 3, or

(b) (in the case of any school) in such manner, if any, as may be determined by a scheme for the administration of the endowment made after 1st April 1945.

Disapplication of restriction on local authority disposals

12 Subsection (2) of section 123 of the [1972 c. 70.] Local Government Act 1972 (local authority prohibited from making disposal of land under that section below market value without consent of the Secretary of State) shall not apply in the case of a disposal--

(a) to the governing body of a foundation, voluntary or foundation special school, or

(b) to persons proposing to establish such a school.

Section 24.

SCHEDULE 4 School organisation committees

Interpretation

1 In this Schedule--

• "committee" means a school organisation committee;

• "the relevant authority", in the case of any such committee, means the local education authority by whom the committee are established.

Election of chairmen and appointment of members

2 Regulations may make provision with respect to--

(a) the election by a committee of one of their number to be chairman, and one to be vice-chairman, of the committee;

(b) the period for which the chairman and vice-chairman are to be elected; and

(c) the appointment and tenure of office of, and the vacation of office by, members of a committee.

Allowances for members

3 (1) For the purpose of the payment of financial loss allowance under section 173(4) of the [1972 c. 70.] Local Government Act 1972, that provision shall apply, with any necessary modifications, to any member of a committee as it applies to any member of a parish or community council; and a committee shall be included in the bodies to which section 174 of that Act (travelling and subsistence allowances) applies.

(2) In section 174(1) of that Act, in its application to a committee in accordance with sub-paragraph (1), the reference to payments at rates determined by the body in question shall be read as a reference to payments at rates determined by the relevant authority.

Financial and other assistance by LEA

4 (1) The relevant authority in the case of a committee shall--

(a) defray the expenses of the committee in accordance with sub-paragraphs (2) to (5); and

(b) make arrangements for them to be provided with accommodation and with such services as the authority consider appropriate.

(2) Before the beginning of each financial year a committee shall submit to the relevant authority a statement of the estimated expenses of the committee in respect of that year (including estimates of any allowances payable to their members by virtue of paragraph 3).

(3) Where they have received such a statement the relevant authority shall approve it, either without modification or with such modifications as they may specify.

(4) Once they have approved the statement under sub-paragraph (3) the relevant authority shall (subject to sub-paragraphs (5) and (6)) defray the expenses of the committee, in respect of the financial year in question, up to the total amount of the expenses set out in the statement as so approved.

(5) The relevant authority are not required by sub-paragraph (4) to defray any expenses of the committee which do not relate to an activity of the committee mentioned in the statement.

(6) If they consider it appropriate to do so, the relevant authority may--

(a) defray the expenses of the committee in respect of a financial year up to an amount which exceeds the total amount referred to in sub-paragraph (4);

(b) defray any expenses of the committee to which sub-paragraph (5) applies.

Proceedings

5 (1) Regulations may make provision as to the meetings and proceedings of a committee.

(2) Regulations under this paragraph may in particular--

(a) provide that, in any prescribed circumstances, the members within each category of members of a committee are to have collectively a single vote;

(b) require all decisions of a prescribed description which are taken by a committee (in accordance with regulations made by virtue of paragraph (a)) to be unanimous decisions of those voting.

(3) Regulations under this paragraph must, however, include provision--

(a) for the members within each category of members of a committee to have collectively a single vote in relation to any decision to which this sub-paragraph applies;

(b) requiring any such decision which is taken by a committee to be a unanimous decision of those voting.

(4) Sub-paragraph (3) applies to any decision of a committee as to whether or not--

(a) to give any approval under section 26(5) or to prepare such a plan as is mentioned in section 26(6)(d)(ii);

(b) to give any approval under paragraph 3 of Schedule 6 or to--

(i) modify any proposals,

(ii) specify any date, or

(iii) make any determination,

under paragraph 5(2)(a) or (b) or (3) of that Schedule;

(c) to make, vary or revoke a transitional exemption order under paragraph 21 of that Schedule or paragraph 16 of Schedule 7;

(d) to give any approval under paragraph 8 of Schedule 7;

(e) to make any decision authorised by or by virtue of paragraph 6 of Schedule 23.

(5) Where regulations under paragraph 2(2) of Schedule 8 provide for either of the following provisions, namely paragraph 3 or 5(2)(a) of Schedule 6, to have effect in relation to proposals published under paragraph 2 or 3 of Schedule 8, the reference to that provision in sub-paragraph (4) above shall include a reference to it as it so has effect.

6 The validity of any proceedings of a committee shall not be affected by any vacancy among the members or by any defect in the appointment of a member.

7 Subject to any provision made by or under this Schedule, a committee may regulate their own procedure.

8 When taking any decision a committee shall have regard (so far as relevant) to the obligations which, by virtue of--

(a) Part III of the [1975 c. 65.] Sex Discrimination Act 1975, or

(b) Part III of the [1976 c. 74.] Race Relations Act 1976,

are owed by any local education authority or governing body which will be affected by the decision.

Indemnity

9 The relevant authority in the case of a committee shall indemnify the members of the committee against any reasonable legal costs and expenses reasonably incurred by those members in connection with any decision or action taken by them in good faith in pursuance of their functions as members of the committee.

Default powers of Secretary of State

10 Each of sections 496 and 497 of the [1996 c. 56.] Education Act 1996 (default powers of Secretary of State) shall apply in relation to a committee as it applies in relation to a body falling within subsection (2) of that section.

Section 25.

SCHEDULE 5 Adjudicators

Interpretation

1 In this Schedule "adjudicator" means a person appointed under section 25.

Tenure of office

2 (1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3), an adjudicator shall hold and vacate office in accordance with the terms of his appointment.

(2) An adjudicator--

(a) may at any time resign his office by notice in writing to the Secretary of State; and

(b) is eligible for re-appointment if he ceases to hold office.

(3) An adjudicator may be removed from office by the Secretary of State on the ground of incapacity or misbehaviour.

Remuneration and pensions

3 (1) The Secretary of State may pay to an adjudicator such remuneration and allowances as the Secretary of State may determine.

(2) If the Secretary of State so determines in the case of any adjudicator, the Secretary of State may pay or make provision for the payment of such sums by way of pension, allowances and gratuities to or in respect of him as the Secretary of State may determine.

Staff and accommodation etc.

4 The Secretary of State may--

(a) provide an adjudicator with such administrative staff as the adjudicator may require; and

(b) provide, or defray the expenses of providing, an adjudicator with such accommodation and other facilities as the adjudicator may require.

Procedure

5 (1) Regulations may make provision as to the procedure to be followed in connection with the reference, under this Part or Part III of this Act, of matters to adjudicators and their determination of matters so referred.

(2) The regulations may, in particular, make provision--

(a) as to the manner in which matters may be referred to adjudicators;

(b) for determining the adjudicators to which individual referrals are to be made;

(c) authorising adjudicators to hold local inquiries;

(d) as to the procedure to be followed where local inquiries are held by adjudicators (whether by virtue of paragraph (c) or otherwise);

(e) authorising adjudicators to appoint assessors to sit with them at such inquiries to advise them on matters arising;

(f) requiring anything falling to be done under the regulations to be done within such period as may be specified in or determined in accordance with the regulations.

(3) Subject to any provision made by the regulations, an adjudicator may regulate his own procedure.

(4) The Secretary of State may make orders--

(a) as to the costs of the parties at any local inquiry held by an adjudicator (whether by virtue of sub-paragraph (2)(c) or otherwise), and

(b) as to the parties by whom the costs are to be paid;

and any costs payable under any such order shall be subject to taxation in such manner as the Secretary of State may direct.

6 When taking any decision an adjudicator shall have regard (so far as relevant) to the obligations which, by virtue of--

(a) Part III of the [1975 c. 65.] Sex Discrimination Act 1975, or

(b) Part III of the [1976 c. 74.] Race Relations Act 1976,

are owed by any local education authority or governing body which will be affected by the decision.

Indemnity

7 The Secretary of State shall indemnify an adjudicator against any reasonable legal costs and expenses reasonably incurred by him in connection with any decision or action taken by him in good faith in pursuance of his functions as an adjudicator.

Parliamentary disqualification

8 In Part III of Schedule 1 to the [1975 c. 24.] House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 (disqualifying offices), at the appropriate place there shall be inserted--

" Adjudicator appointed under section 25 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. "

Parliamentary Commissioner

9 For the purposes of section 5 of the [1967 c. 13.] Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 (matters subject to investigation) administrative functions exercisable by any person provided by the Secretary of State under paragraph 4 above shall be taken to be administrative functions of the Department for Education and Employment.

Supervision of Council on Tribunals

10 (1) In section 7 of the [1992 c. 53.] Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1992 (which restricts Ministers' powers to remove members of tribunals listed in Schedule 1 to that Act) in subsection (2) (tribunals to which that section does not apply) after "14," there shall be inserted "15(f),".

(2) In Schedule 1 to that Act (tribunals under the supervision of the Council on Tribunals) at the end of paragraph 15 (tribunals concerned with education) there shall be inserted--

" (f) an adjudicator appointed under section 25 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. "

Sections 28, 29 and 31.

SCHEDULE 6 Statutory proposals: procedure and implementation

Part I Procedure for dealing with statutory proposals: England

Application of Part I

1 (1) This Part of this Schedule applies to proposals published under section 28, 29 or 31 which relate to a school or proposed school in England.

(2) In this Part of this Schedule "the relevant committee" means the school organisation committee for the area of the local education authority who maintain the school or (in the case of a new school) who it is proposed should maintain the school.

Objections

2 (1) Any person may make objections to any proposals published under section 28, 29 or 31.

(2) Where the proposals were published by a local education authority--

(a) any objections under this paragraph shall be sent to the authority within such period as may be prescribed ("the objection period"); and

(b) within such period as may be prescribed the authority shall send to the relevant committee copies of all objections made (and not withdrawn in writing) within the objection period, together with the authority's observations on them.

(3) Where the proposals were published by a governing body or promoters, any objections under this paragraph shall be sent to the relevant committee within such period as may be prescribed.

Approval of proposals

3 (1) Proposals published under section 28, 29 or 31 require approval under this paragraph if--

(a) the proposals were published by a local education authority and either--

(i) objections to the proposals have been made in accordance with paragraph 2 and any of them have not been withdrawn in writing within the objection period; or

(ii) such approval is required by virtue of paragraph 4(5); or

(b) the proposals were published by a governing body or promoters.

(2) Where any proposals require approval under this paragraph, they shall be considered in the first instance by the relevant committee, who may--

(a) reject the proposals,

(b) approve them without modification, or

(c) approve them with such modifications as the committee think desirable after consulting such persons or bodies as may be prescribed.

(3) Any approval given under this paragraph may be expressed to take effect only if an event specified in the approval occurs by a date so specified; and regulations may prescribe the events that may be so specified.

(4) When deciding whether or not to give any approval under this paragraph the committee shall have regard to--

(a) any guidance given from time to time by the Secretary of State, and

(b) the school organisation plan for the committee's area;

and the committee shall not give any such approval unless they are satisfied that adequate financial resources will be available to enable the proposals to be implemented.

(5) If--

(a) by the end of such period as may be specified in or determined in accordance with regulations, the committee have not voted on the question whether to give any approval under this paragraph, and

(b) the body or promoters by whom the proposals were published request the committee to refer the proposals to the adjudicator,

they shall refer the proposals to the adjudicator.

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