The Education (Grammar School Ballots) Regulations 1998

Form of petition

8.—(1) A petition shall on each sheet state—

(a)the grammar school or schools to which it relates; and

(b)where it is a petition for an area ballot, the relevant area in question.

(2) A petition shall, on each sheet, contain the following words:—

“We the undersigned, being eligible parents, seek a ballot on whether those listed schools which select by academic ability should continue to do so.”

(3) In relation to each parent who signs a petition the following information shall be given—

(a)the first name and surname and address of the parent;

(b)in the case of a petition for an area ballot—

(i)the name of the parent’s child or, where the parent has more than one child, the name of at least one of the parent’s children who, at the date on which the petition is signed, is of compulsory school age (where the child is a pupil at a school) or is aged 16 or under (where the child is educated otherwise than at school); and

(ii)the name of the school which the child named in the petition is attending or, where the child does not attend a school, a statement to that effect; or

(c)in the case of a petition for a feeder school ballot—

(i)the name of a child of that parent who is a pupil at a school which is a feeder school for the group of grammar schools or, as the case may be, the stand alone grammar school to which the petition relates who, at the date on which the petition is signed, is of compulsory school age; and

(ii)the name of the school which the child named in the petition is attending; and

(d)the date on which the parent signs the petition.

(4) A petition shall, on each sheet contain a statement to the effect that a person signing it confirms that the information given in relation to that person is true and correct.

(5) The petition shall give the name and address of the person (in these Regulations referred to as the “petition organiser”) to whom notification should be given as to whether the petition is valid.

(6) Where the designated body has given the notification required by regulation 10(1) that a valid petition has been received, any subsequent petition relating to the same relevant area, group of grammar schools or stand alone grammar school shall not be valid unless—

(a)the subsequent ballot is in favour of retaining selective admission arrangements; and

(b)no person signs it before the end of the moratorium period for the area, group of grammar schools or stand alone grammar school.