Education Act 1996 (c. 56)

(The document as of February, 2008)

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(a) a summary of the steps taken by the governing body in the discharge of their functions during the period since their last governors' report, and

(b) such other information as the articles may require.

(2) Schedule 17 has effect in relation to governors' reports.

(3) The articles of government shall--

(a) enable the governing body to produce the governors' report in such language or languages (in addition to English) as they consider appropriate, and

(b) require them to produce it in such language or languages (in addition to English and any other language in which they propose to produce it) as the local education authority may direct.

(4) The articles of government shall require the governing body to take such steps as are reasonably practicable to secure--

(a) that the parents of all registered pupils at the school and all persons employed at the school are given (free of charge) a copy of the governors' report;

(b) that copies of the report are available for inspection (at all reasonable times and free of charge) at the school; and

(c) that, where (by virtue of section 162) there is an obligation on the governing body to hold an annual parents' meeting, copies of the report to be considered at that meeting are given to parents not less than two weeks before that meeting.

162 Annual parents' meetings

(1) Subject to section 163 (special schools in hospitals and boarding schools), the articles of government for a county, voluntary or maintained special school shall require the governing body to hold a meeting once in every school year (referred to in this Chapter as an "annual parents' meeting") which is open to--

(a) all parents of registered pupils at the school;

(b) the head teacher; and

(2) The purpose of the meeting shall be to provide an opportunity for discussion of--

(a) the governors' report; and

(b) the discharge by the governing body, the head teacher and the local education authority of their functions in relation to the school.

(3) Schedule 18 has effect in relation to annual parents' meetings.

163 No annual parents' meeting required in case of certain special and boarding schools

(1) The articles of government for a maintained special school which is established in a hospital shall provide that, where the governing body are of the opinion that it would be impracticable to hold an annual parents' meeting in a particular school year, they may refrain from holding such a meeting in that year.

(2) Where, in the case of a county, voluntary school or maintained special school (other than a special school established in a hospital), the proportion of registered pupils at the school who are boarders is, or is likely to be, at least 50 per cent., the articles of government for the school shall provide that, where--

(a) the governing body are of the opinion that it would be impracticable to hold an annual parents' meeting in a particular school year, and

(b) at least 50 per cent. of the registered pupils at the school are boarders at the time when they form that opinion,

they may refrain from holding such a meeting in that year.

164 Governors' reports and annual parents' meetings for grouped schools

(1) This section applies where two or more schools are grouped under section 89.

(2) In discharging their duty (by virtue of section 161) to prepare governors' reports, the governing body for the group shall prepare separate reports in relation to each of the schools within the group, except that if they decide to hold a joint annual parents' meeting under subsection (4) they may prepare a single report covering all the schools within the group.

(3) If the governing body prepare a single report covering all the schools within the group, they shall secure that any matters which they propose to report on and which are likely to be mainly of interest to the parents of registered pupils at a particular school within the group are treated separately in the report.

(4) In discharging their duty (by virtue of section 162) to hold an annual parents' meeting for any grouped school, the governing body may, if they think fit, hold a joint annual parents' meeting for all of the schools within the group.

(5) Where--

(a) a joint annual parents' meeting is held, and

(b) the governing body have prepared a separate governors' report in relation to each of the schools within the group,

the governing body shall, when discharging the duty imposed on them by virtue of section 161(4), attach to the report prepared in relation to a particular school within the group copies of the reports prepared for each of the other schools within it.

(6) Where at a joint annual parents' meeting the question is put on any proposed resolution which concerns one or more, but not all, of the schools within the group--

(a) only parents of registered pupils at the school or schools which the proposed resolution concerns may vote on the question; and

(b) the registered pupils at the other schools shall be disregarded for the purposes of any provision made by virtue of paragraph 2 of Schedule 18 (resolution may be passed by simple majority where required number of parents of registered pupils present) as it applies in relation to the proposed resolution.

(7) Where at a joint annual parents' meeting there is any disagreement as to which schools within the group a proposed resolution concerns, the matter shall be decided by the chairman of the governing body.

165 Provision of information by governing body and head teacher

(1) The articles of government for a county, voluntary or maintained special school shall provide--

(a) for the governing body to provide the local education authority with such reports in connection with the discharge of their functions as the authority may require (either on a regular basis or from time to time); and

(b) for the head teacher to provide the governing body or (as the case may be) the local education authority with such reports in connection with the discharge of his functions as the governing body or the authority may so require.

(2) The articles of government for an aided school shall provide--

(a) for the local education authority to notify the governing body of any requirement of a kind mentioned in subsection (1)(b) which is imposed by them on the head teacher; and

(b) for the head teacher to provide the governing body with a copy of any report which he makes in complying with such a requirement.

New schools

166 Conduct and staffing of new schools

Schedule 19 has effect in relation to the conduct and staffing of new schools.

Chapter VII Discontinuance of local education authority schools

Procedure for discontinuance of county, voluntary or maintained nursery school by local education authority

167 Proposals for discontinuance of a county, voluntary or nursery school

(1) Where a local education authority intend to cease to maintain--

(a) a county school,

(b) a voluntary school (except in accordance with section 173(7)), or

then (subject to subsection (6)) they shall publish proposals for that purpose in such manner as may be required by regulations and submit a copy of the published proposals to the Secretary of State.

(2) Proposals published under this section--

(a) shall include particulars of the time or times at which it is intended to implement the proposals; and

(b) shall be accompanied by a statement of the effect of section 168.

(3) Before formulating any such proposals in respect of a county or voluntary school, a local education authority shall consult the school's governing body.

(4) Before publishing any proposals under this section the local education authority shall consult such persons as appear to them to be appropriate; and in discharging their duty under this subsection the authority shall have regard to any guidance given from time to time by the Secretary of State.

(5) Before publishing any proposals under subsection (1)(a) or (b) which (if implemented) would affect the facilities for full-time education suitable to the requirements of persons over compulsory school age who have not attained the age of 19, the local education authority shall consult the appropriate further education funding council.

(6) No proposals shall be published under this section in respect of a school in respect of which proposals for acquisition of grant-maintained status have been approved under section 194.

168 Objections to proposals

(1) Objections to any proposals published by a local education authority under section 167 may be submitted to the authority by any of the following--

(a) any ten or more local government electors for the authority's area,

(b) the governing body of any school affected by the proposals,

(c) the appropriate further education funding council (if the proposals affect the provision of education to which section 2(1) of the [1992 c. 13.] Further and Higher Education Act 1992 applies), and

(d) any other local education authority concerned.

(2) Objections may be so submitted within the period of two months after the first publication of the proposals.

(3) Where--

(a) an order under section 27 applies to the area of a local education authority, and

(b) the authority publish proposals under section 167 which affect the provision of relevant education in that area,

the funding authority shall be included among the persons who may submit objections under subsection (1) to the proposals.

(4) Within one month after the end of the period mentioned in subsection (2), the local education authority by whom the proposals were published shall transmit to the Secretary of State copies of all objections made (and not withdrawn in writing) in that period, together with the authority's observations on them.

(5) For the purposes of this section proposals under section 167 shall be taken to have been first published--

(a) on the day on which the requirements of regulations with respect to the publication of the proposals are satisfied; or

(b) where different such requirements are satisfied on different days, on the last of those days.

(6) Where any such requirement imposes a continuing obligation with respect to the publication of any proposals, the requirement shall for the purposes of subsection (5) be taken to be satisfied on the first day in respect of which it is satisfied.

169 Approval or rejection by Secretary of State of proposals under section 167

(1) Proposals published by a local education authority under section 167 require the approval of the Secretary of State if subsection (2), (3) or (4) applies.

(2) This subsection applies if the proposals are for ceasing to maintain a voluntary school.

(3) This subsection applies if either--

(a) the Secretary of State, within the period of two months after the submission to him of the published proposals, gives notice to the authority that the proposals require his approval, or

(b) objections have been made under section 168 and any of them have not been withdrawn in writing within the period specified in section 168(2).

(4) This subsection applies if either--

(a) the proposals are first published after proposals for acquisition of grant-maintained status for the school have been published under section 193 but before those proposals are withdrawn or determined, or

(b) after the proposals have first been published but before they are withdrawn or determined, proposals for acquisition of grant-maintained status for the school are published under section 193;

and references in this subsection to proposals being first published shall be construed in accordance with section 168(5) and (6).

(5) Where any proposals require the approval of the Secretary of State under this section, he may (subject to subsection (6))--

(a) reject them,

(b) approve them without modification, or

(6) In a case where subsection (4) applies, the Secretary of State--

(a) shall consider both sets of proposals together, but

(b) shall not determine the proposals published under section 167 until he has made his determination with respect to the proposals published under section 193,

and, if he approves the proposals published under section 193, he shall reject the proposals published under section 167.

170 Determination by local education authority whether to implement proposals

(1) Where any proposals published by a local education authority under section 167 do not require the approval of the Secretary of State under section 169, the authority shall determine whether they should be implemented.

(2) The determination must be made not later than four months after the submission of the proposals to the Secretary of State under section 167.

(3) A local education authority shall notify the Secretary of State of any determination made by them under this section.

171 Duty to implement proposals

(1) Subject to subsection (2), a local education authority shall implement any proposals of theirs--

(a) which have been approved by the Secretary of State under section 169, or

(b) which they have determined under section 170 to implement.

(2) The Secretary of State may, at the request of a local education authority, modify any proposals which the authority are required to implement by virtue of this section.

172 Restriction on taking steps before sections 167 and 169 have been complied with

(1) Subject to subsection (2), a local education authority shall not--

(a) cease to maintain a county school, a voluntary school (except in accordance with section 173(7)) or a nursery school, or

(b) undertake to do anything towards that end,

until the requirements of section 167 have been complied with and any approval necessary under section 169 has been given.

(2) The Secretary of State may in any case allow such steps to be taken pending compliance with any such requirements and the giving of any such approval as he considers reasonable in the circumstances.

Discontinuance of voluntary school by governing body

173 Discontinuance of a voluntary school by its governing body

(1) The governing body of a voluntary school shall not discontinue the school unless they have served on the Secretary of State and the local education authority at least two years' notice of their intention to do so.

(2) If expenditure has been incurred on the school premises (otherwise than in connection with repairs)--

(a) by the Secretary of State,

(b) by any local education authority, or

(c) by an authority which was a local education authority within the meaning of any enactment repealed by the [1944 c. 31.] Education Act 1944 or an earlier Act,

no notice may be served without leave of the Secretary of State.

(3) If the Secretary of State gives such leave, he may impose any requirements that he thinks just--

(a) in respect of the repayment of all or part of any expenditure so incurred by him;

(b) in respect of the conveyance to the local education authority of any premises used for the purposes of the school which he is satisfied the authority will need for any purpose connected with education;

(c) (where any premises are to be so conveyed) in respect of the payment by the authority of so much of the value of those premises as is just having regard to the extent to which the premises were provided otherwise than at the expense of the authority or of an authority within subsection (2)(c);

(d) (where any premises used for the purposes of the school are not to be so conveyed) in respect of the payment by the governing body to the authority of so much of the value of those premises as is just having regard to the extent to which they were provided at the expense of the authority or of an authority within subsection (2)(c).

(4) If discontinuing the school would affect the facilities for full-time education suitable to the requirements of persons over compulsory school age who have not attained the age of 19, the governing body shall, before serving notice under this section, consult the appropriate further education funding council.

(5) No notice may be served under this section in respect of any school in respect of which the procedure for acquisition of grant-maintained status is pending (within the meaning of Chapter III of Part III).

(6) A notice served under this section may not be withdrawn without the consent of the local education authority.

(7) Where a school is discontinued in accordance with this section, the duty of the local education authority to maintain it as a voluntary school shall cease.

(8) This section and section 174 have effect subject to section 175(2).

174 Conduct by local education authority of a voluntary school which is subject to notice of discontinuance

(1) If, while a notice under section 173 is in force in respect of a voluntary school, the governing body inform the local education authority that they are unable or unwilling to carry on the school until the notice expires, the authority--

(a) may conduct the school for all or part of the unexpired period of the notice as if it were a county school, and

(b) shall be entitled to use the school premises free of charge for that purpose.

(2) While the school is being so conducted--

(a) the authority shall keep the school premises in good repair, and

(b) any interest in the premises which is held for the purposes of the school shall be deemed, for all purposes relating to the condition, occupation or use of the premises, or the making of alterations to them, to be vested in the authority.

(3) Despite the provisions of subsection (2), the governing body may use the premises, or any part of them, when not required for the purposes of the school to the same extent as if they had continued to carry on the school during the unexpired period of the notice.

175 Discontinuance of voluntary school in consequence of proposal to establish a further education corporation

(1) This section applies where--

(a) the governing body of a voluntary school intend to discontinue the school; and

(b) the intention arises in connection with a proposal by--

(i) a further education funding council, or

(ii) the Secretary of State,

for the establishment under section 16 of the [1992 c. 13.] Further and Higher Education Act 1992 of a further education corporation to conduct an educational institution in the same area.

(2) Where this section applies--

(a) sections 173 and 174 shall not apply;

(b) sections 41, 42, 43 and 45(1) and (4) to (6) shall apply as they would if the intention of the governing body were to make a significant change in the character of the school; and

(c) if the school is discontinued the duty of the local education authority to maintain the school as a voluntary school shall cease.

Chapter VIII Miscellaneous and supplementary provisions

Further education

176 Provision of further education

(1) The governing body of any county, voluntary or maintained special school shall be responsible for determining whether or not to provide--

(a) part-time education suitable to the requirements of persons of any age over compulsory school age; or

(b) full-time education suitable to the requirements of persons who have attained the age of 19;

but the governing body of a maintained special school shall not determine to provide, or to cease to provide, such education without the consent of the local education authority.

(2) It shall be the duty of the governing body of any such school which provides such education to secure that, except in such circumstances as may be prescribed, such education is not provided at any time in a room where pupils are at that time being taught.

Teacher training

177 Provision of courses of initial teacher training

(1) Section 12 of the [1994 c. 30.] Education Act 1994 confers power on the governing body of a county, voluntary or maintained special school--

(a) to provide courses of initial training for school teachers, or

(b) to join in a partnership or association with other eligible institutions, or (whether alone or jointly with other eligible institutions) to establish a body, for the purpose of providing such courses.

(2) In subsection (1) "eligible institution" has the meaning given by section 4(2) of that Act.

Modification of employment law

178 Application of employment law during financial delegation

(1) The Secretary of State may by order make such modifications in any enactment relating to employment, and in particular in any enactment--

(a) conferring powers or imposing duties on employers,

(b) conferring rights on employees, or

as he considers necessary or expedient in consequence of the operation of any of the following provisions, namely, sections 136(2) and (3), 137(6) and 139(2) to (4), Schedule 14 and paragraphs 19 to 24 of Schedule 19.

(2) Before making any order under this section the Secretary of State shall consult--

(a) such associations of local authorities,

(b) such bodies representing the interests of governors of voluntary schools, and

(c) such organisations representing staff in schools required to be covered by schemes under section 103 (local education authority schemes for financing schools),

as appear to him to be concerned.

Modification of trust deeds and other instruments

179 Variation of trust deeds etc. by order

(1) The Secretary of State may by order make such modifications of any trust deed or other instrument relating to a school as, after consultation with the governing body or other proprietor of the school, appear to him to be requisite in consequence of--

(a) any proposals falling to be implemented under section 40 or section 45 (establishment or alteration of a county or voluntary school);

(b) a transfer of the school to a new site in circumstances falling with section 35(2) or section 41(3);

(d) any order made by him under section 47 (transfer of voluntary school to a new site); or

(e) any proposals falling to be implemented under section 171 (discontinuance of a county or voluntary school or maintained nursery school).

(2) Any modification made by an order under this section may be made so as to have permanent effect or to have effect for such period as may be specified in the order.

180 Modification of provisions whereby governors of voluntary schools are ex officio trustees

(1) Where a trust deed or other instrument made before 1st July 1981 contains a provision whereby the persons who are for the time being governors of a voluntary school are by virtue of their office trustees of any property held for the purposes of or in connection with the school, that provision shall have effect as if the only governors of the school were the foundation governors and the governors appointed by the local education authority and any minor authority.

(2) Subsection (1) is without prejudice to any power to amend any such provision as is mentioned in that subsection.

Interpretation of Part II

181 Meaning of expressions relating to new schools

(1) In this Part "new school" (without more) means a school or proposed school--

(a) which by virtue of section 96(1) or 97(1) is required to have a temporary governing body, or

(b) in respect of which the local education authority have power under section 96(3) or 97(2) to make an arrangement for the constitution of a temporary governing body.

(2) In this Part "relevant proposals"--

(a) in relation to a new school that will be a county or voluntary school, means the proposals falling within section 96(2) or 97(1) by reference to which it is a new school, and

(b) in relation to a new school that will be a maintained special school, means the proposals falling within section 96(2) by reference to which it is a new school.

(3) In this Part--

(a) "temporary governing body" means a temporary governing body constituted for a new school under an arrangement made under section 96 or 97, and

(b) "temporary governor" means a member of a temporary governing body (and references to a temporary governor of a particular category are to a member of a temporary governing body appointed to it as a member of that category).

182 Meaning of "governing body" and "governor" in Chapters IV to VI

In Chapters IV to VI, except where otherwise provided--

"governing body" does not include a temporary governing body, and
"governor" does not include a temporary governor.

Part III Grant-maintained schools

Chapter I Preliminary

183 "Grant-maintained schools"

(1) A school conducted by a governing body incorporated under this Part, Part II of the [1993 c. 35.] Education Act 1993 or Chapter IV of Part I of the [1988 c. 40.] Education Reform Act 1988 for the purpose of conducting the school shall be known as a grant-maintained school.

(2) A governing body may be incorporated under this Part--

(a) in pursuance of proposals for the purpose published under section 193 in relation to an existing school (referred to in this Part as "proposals for acquisition of grant-maintained status"),

(b) in pursuance of proposals for the purpose published under section 211 or 212 in connection with the establishment of a school (referred to in this Part as "proposals for the establishment of a new grant-maintained school"), or

(c) in pursuance of proposals for the purpose published under Chapter IX for two or more existing schools to be conducted as a group by a single governing body.

(3) A grant-maintained school must be either a secondary school or a primary school.

(4) Subject to the provisions of this Part, the funding authority shall pay to the governing body of each grant-maintained school such annual grants as may be required to be paid under Chapter VI.

Chapter II Procedure for acquisition of grant-maintained status

Eligibility

184 Schools eligible for grant-maintained status

(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3) below, any county or voluntary school is for the purposes of this Part eligible for grant-maintained status.

(2) A county or voluntary school is not eligible for grant-maintained status if proposals by the local education authority to cease to maintain the school have been published under section 167 and either--

(a) the proposals have been approved by the Secretary of State under section 169, or

(b) where the proposals do not require the approval of the Secretary of State, the local education authority have determined to implement the proposals and notified the Secretary of State of their determination in accordance with section 170(3).

(3) A voluntary school is not eligible for grant-maintained status if--

(a) notice of the governing body's intention to discontinue the school has been served under section 173 and has not been withdrawn, or

(b) proposals by the governing body to discontinue the school have been published under section 41 (as applied by section 175(2)(b)) and approved by the Secretary of State under section 43 (as so applied).

185 Duty of governing body to consider ballot on grant-maintained status

(1) The Secretary of State may by order provide for this section to apply to the governing bodies of all schools, or all schools in England or Wales, which are eligible for grant-maintained status.

(2) Where this section applies to a governing body of a school, they shall, at least once in every school year, consider whether to hold a ballot of parents on the question whether grant-maintained status should be sought for the school.

(3) Subsection (2) does not apply in respect of any school year if a ballot has been held in accordance with section 189 in the school year which precedes it.

(4) The annual report of any governing body to which this section applies shall include--

(a) a statement indicating that in the period since their last report the governing body have considered whether to hold a ballot of parents in pursuance of subsection (2) and giving--

(i) particulars of any decisions made by the governing body following such consideration and the date or dates on which they were made, and

(ii) if the governing body decided not to hold a ballot, an explanation of the reasons for that decision, or

(b) a statement indicating that in that period the governing body have not, for the reasons given in the statement, considered whether to hold a ballot of parents on the question of whether grant-maintained status should be sought for the school.

(5) In this section "annual report" means the report prepared under the articles of government for the school in accordance with section 161.

Initiation of procedure

186 Initiation of procedure by governing body

(1) Where the governing body of a school which is eligible for grant-maintained status decide by a resolution passed at a meeting of that body to hold a ballot of parents on the question whether grant-maintained status should be sought for the school, they shall--

(a) secure that the ballot is held in accordance with section 189 within the period of 10 weeks beginning with the date of the resolution, and

(b) give notice in writing that the ballot is to be held--

(i) to the local education authority, and

(ii) if the school is a voluntary school, to any person holding property on trust for the purposes of the school.

(2) Notice under subsection (1)(b) must be given within the period of five days beginning with the date of the resolution; but in determining that period no account shall be taken of--

(a) Saturday, Sunday, Good Friday and Christmas Day, or

(b) any day which is a bank holiday in England and Wales.

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