Education Act 1996

General functionsE+W

13 General responsibility for education.E+W

(1)A local education authority shall (so far as their powers enable them to do so) contribute towards the spiritual, moral, mental and physical development of the community by securing that efficient primary education, [F1and secondary education] are available to meet the needs of the population of their area.

(2)The duty imposed by subsection (1) does not extend to matters in respect of which any duty is imposed on—

[F2(a)the Learning and Skills Council for England or the National Council for Education and Training for Wales, or

(b)the higher education funding councils established under section 62 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992.]

[F313A Duty to promote high standards in primary and secondary education.E+W

(1)A local education authority shall ensure that their functions relating to the provision of education to which this section applies are (so far as they are capable of being so exercised) exercised by the authority with a view to promoting high standards.

(2)This section applies to education for—

(a)persons of compulsory school age (whether at school or otherwise); and

(b)persons of any age above or below that age who are registered as pupils at schools maintained by the authority;

and in subsection (1) “functions” means functions of whatever nature.]

14 Functions in respect of provision of primary and secondary schools.E+W

(1)A local education authority shall secure that sufficient schools for providing—

(a)primary education, and

(b)education that is secondary education by virtue of section 2(2)(a),

are available for their area.

(2)The schools available for an area shall not be regarded as sufficient for the purposes of subsection (1) unless they are sufficient in number, character and equipment to provide for all pupils the opportunity of appropriate education.

(3)In subsection (2) “appropriate education” means education which offers such variety of instruction and training as may be desirable in view of—

(a)the pupils’ different ages, abilities and aptitudes, and

(b)the different periods for which they may be expected to remain at school,

including practical instruction and training appropriate to their different needs.

(4)A local education authority is not by virtue of subsection (1)(a) under any duty in respect of children under [F4compulsory school age].

[F5(4A)A local education authority for an area in Wales may secure that regional schools for providing—

(a)primary education, and

(b)education that is secondary education by virtue of section 2(2)(a),

are available for Wales or any part of Wales that includes the area of the authority.

(4B)For this purpose a “regional school”, in relation to a local education authority, is a school maintained by that authority which provides education to meet both—

(a)the needs of pupils with particular special educational needs in their area, and

(b)the needs of such pupils in the rest, or any other part, of Wales,

whether or not the institution also provides education suitable to the requirements of other pupils.]

F6(5). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(6)In exercising their functions under this section, a local education authority shall in particular have regard to—

(a)the need for securing that primary and secondary education are provided in separate schools;

(b)the need for securing that special educational provision is made for pupils who have special educational needs; and

(c)the expediency of securing the provision of boarding accommodation (in boarding schools or otherwise) for pupils for whom education as boarders is considered by their parents and the authority to be desirable.

(7)The duty imposed by subsection (6)(a) does not apply in relation to middle schools or special schools.

F715 Functions in respect of provision of further education.E+W

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[F815A Functions in respect of full-time education for 16 to 18 year olds.E+W

(1)A local education authority may secure the provision for their area of full-time [F9or part-time] education suitable to the requirements of persons over compulsory school age who have not attained the age of 19, including provision for persons from other areas.

[F10(1A)The power under subsection (1) to secure the provision of education includes power to secure the provision—

(a)of training, including vocational, social, physical and recreational training, and

(b)of organised leisure time occupation (within the meaning of section 2(6)) which is provided in connection with the provision of education or of training within paragraph (a).]

(2)Subsections (6) and (7) of section 14 shall apply in relation to functions under this section [in respect of secondary education] as they apply in relation to functions under that section.]

[F11(3)In exercising their functions under this section in respect of further education a local education authority shall in particular have regard to the needs of persons with learning difficulties (within the meaning of section 13(5) and (6) of the Learning and Skills Act 2000).

(4)A local education authority may do anything which appears to them to be necessary or expedient for the purposes of or in connection with the exercise of their functions under this section.]

[F1215B Functions in respect of education for persons over 19.E+W

(1)A local education authority may secure the provision for their area of full-time or part-time education suitable to the requirements of persons who have attained the age of 19, including provision for persons from other areas.

(2)The power under subsection (1) to secure the provision of education includes power to secure the provision—

(a)of training, including vocational, social, physical and recreational training, and

(b)of organised leisure time occupation (within the meaning of section 2(6)) which is provided in connection with the provision of education or of training within paragraph (a).

(3)In exercising their functions under this section a local education authority shall in particular have regard to the needs of persons with learning difficulties (within the meaning of section 13(5) and (6) of the Learning and Skills Act 2000).

(4)A local education authority may do anything which appears to them to be necessary or expedient for the purposes of or in connection with the exercise of their functions under this section.

(5)This section does not apply to higher education.]