The Education (Grammar School Ballots) Regulations 1998

Regulation 15(1)

SCHEDULE 4THE BALLOT INFORMATION CODE

1.  The principles specified in paragraph 2 shall apply in providing material for parents relating to a petition or ballot.

2.  Material provided:

a.should provide information which is as factual and accurate as possible, with a view to helping parents to reach a soundly-based decision about whether grammar schools should, or should not, retain selective admission arrangements;

b.insofar as it offers opinions, predictions or views, it should do so on the basis of fact or a reasonable interpretation of fact; and should clearly distinguish between what is fact and what is opinion or prediction;

c.should be objective and explanatory, seeking to clarify the issues without omitting important facts or arguments, and without selecting facts or arguments in such a way as to distort or mislead;

d.should not be likely to cause alarm, concern or offence;

e.should not in content, tone or presentation be party political;

f.should not attack the views of individuals or of groups taking a different view of the future of selective admission arrangements at grammar schools.

3.  The following standards should be observed at meetings for parents and in other open debate:

a.if meetings about the future of grammar school selective admission arrangements are arranged for parents, they should be publicised, as far as is reasonable, to all those with an interest;

b.the presentations should, taken together, provide an overall picture which is balanced, fair and unbiased;

c.oral information should be accurate and should not mislead the audience;

d.comments on, or responses to, the policies of central and local government should be objective, balanced, informative and accurate.