For the purposes of this Chapter, the grounds for intervention in the conduct of a maintained school are as follows—

• GROUND 1 -The standards of performance of pupils at the school are unacceptably low.

  For this purpose, the standards of performance of pupils are low if they are low by reference to any one or more of the following—

  1. a

     the standards that the pupils might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to attain;

  2. b

     where relevant, the standards previously attained by them;

  3. c

     the standards attained by pupils at comparable schools.

• GROUND 2 - There has been a breakdown in the way the school is managed or governed.

• GROUND 3 - The behaviour of pupils at the school or any action taken by those pupils or their parents is severely prejudicing, or is likely to severely prejudice, the education of any pupils at the school.

• GROUND 4 - The safety of pupils or staff of the school is threatened (whether by a breakdown of discipline or otherwise).

• GROUND 5 - The governing body or head teacher has failed, or is likely to fail, to comply with a duty under the Education Acts.

• GROUND 6 -The governing body or head teacher has acted, or is proposing to act, unreasonably in the exercise of any of its or his or her functions under the Education Acts.

• GROUND 7 - Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales (“the Chief Inspector”) has given a notice under section 37(2) of the Education Act 2005 that the school requires significant improvement and that notice has not been superseded by—

  1. a

     the Chief Inspector giving notice under that section that special measures are required to be taken in relation to the school, or

  2. b

     a person making a subsequent inspection making a report stating that in his or her opinion the school no longer requires significant improvement.

• GROUND 8 - Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales has given a notice under section 37(2) of the Education Act 2005 that special measures are required to be taken in relation to the school and that notice has not been superseded by a person making a subsequent inspection making a report stating that in his or her opinion the school no longer requires special measures.