The School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2007

PART 1Information to be included in or provided in relation to proposals

School and local education authority details

1.  The name, address and category of the school and a contact address for the local education authority who are publishing the proposals.

Implementation and any proposed stages for implementation

2.  The date on which the proposals are planned to be implemented, and if they are to be implemented in stages, a description of what is planned for each stage, and the number of stages intended and the dates of each stage.

Objections and comments

3.  A statement explaining the procedure for making representations, including—

(a)the date prescribed in accordance with paragraph 33 of this Schedule by which objections or comments should be sent to the local education authority; and

(b)the address of the authority to which objections or comments should be sent.

Alteration description

4.  A description of the proposed alteration and in the case of special school proposals, a description of the current special needs provision.

School capacity

5.—(1) Where the alteration is an alteration falling within any of paragraphs 1 to 4, and paragraph 7 and 8, of Schedule 4, the proposals must also include—

(a)details of the current capacity of the school and where the proposals will alter the capacity of the school, the proposed capacity of the school after the alteration;

(b)details of the numbers of pupils to be admitted to the school in each relevant age group in the first school year in which the proposals will have been implemented;

(c)where it is intended that proposals should be implemented in stages, the number of pupils to be admitted to the school in the first school year in which each stage will have been implemented; and

(d)where the number of pupils in any relevant age group is lower than the indicated admission number for that relevant age group a statement to this effect and details of the indicated admission number in question.

(2) Where the alteration is an alteration falling within any of paragraphs 1 to 4, and 7 and 8 of Schedule 4 a statement of the number of pupils at the school at the time of the publication of the proposals.

Implementation

6.  Where the proposals relate to a foundation or voluntary controlled school a statement as to whether the proposals are to be implemented by the local education authority or by the governing body, and, if the proposals are to be implemented by both, a statement as to the extent to which they are to be implemented by each body.

Additional Site

7.—(1) A statement as to whether any new or additional site will be required if proposals are implemented and if so the location of the site if the school is to occupy a split site.

(2) Where proposals relate to a foundation or voluntary school a statement as to who will provide any additional site required, together with details of the tenure (freehold or leasehold) on which the site of the school will be held, and if the site is to be held on a lease, details of the proposed lease.

Changes in boarding arrangements

8.—(1) Where the proposals are for the introduction or removal of boarding provision, or the alteration of existing boarding provision such as is mentioned in paragraph 7 or 14 of Schedule 4—

(a)the number of pupils for whom it is intended that boarding provision will be made if the proposals are approved;

(b)the arrangements for safeguarding the welfare of children at the school;

(c)the current number of pupils for whom boarding provision can be made and a description of the boarding provision; and

(d)except where the proposals are to introduce boarding provision, a description of the existing boarding provision.

(2) Where the proposals are for the removal of boarding provisions or an alteration to reduce boarding provision such as is mentioned in paragraph 7 or 14 of Schedule 4—

(a)the number of pupils for whom boarding provision will be removed if the proposals are approved; and

(b)a statement as to the use to which the former boarding accommodation will be put if the proposals are approved.

Transfer to new site

9.  Where the proposals are to transfer a school to a new site the following information—

(a)the location of the proposed site (including details of whether the school is to occupy a single or split site), and including where appropriate the postal address;

(b)the distance between the proposed and current site;

(c)the reason for the choice of proposed site;

(d)the accessibility of the proposed site or sites;

(e)the proposed arrangements for transport of pupils to the school on its new site; and

(f)a statement about other sustainable transport alternatives where pupils are not using transport provided, and how car use in area will be discouraged.

Objectives

10.  The objectives of the proposals.

Consultation

11.  Evidence of the consultation before the proposals were published including—

(a)a list of persons who were consulted;

(b)minutes of all public consultation meetings;

(c)the views of the persons consulted;

(d)a statement to the effect that all applicable statutory requirements in relation to the proposals to consult were complied with; and

(e)copies of all consultation documents and a statement on how these documents were made available.

Project costs

12.  A statement of the estimated total capital cost of the proposals and the breakdown of the costs that are to be met by the governing body, the local education authority, and any other party.

13.  A copy of confirmation from the Secretary of State, local education authority and the Learning and Skills Council for England (as the case may be) that funds will be made available (including costs to cover any necessary site purchase).

Age range

14.  Where the proposals relate to a change in age range, the current age range for the school.

Early years provision

15.  Where the proposals are to alter the lower age limit of a mainstream school so that it provides for pupils aged between 2 and 5—

(a)details of the early years provision, including the number of full-time and part-time pupils, the number and length of sessions in each week, and the services for disabled children that will be offered;

(b)how the school will integrate the early years provision with childcare services and how the proposals are consistent with the integration of early years provision for childcare;

(c)evidence of parental demand for additional provision of early years provision;

(d)assessment of capacity, quality and sustainability of provision in schools and in establishments other than schools who deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage within 3 miles of the school; and

(e)reasons why such schools and establishments who have spare capacity cannot make provision for any forecast increase in the number of such provision.

Changes to sixth form provision

16.  Where the proposals are to alter the upper age limit of the school so that the school provides sixth form education or additional sixth form education, a statement of how the proposals will—

(a)improve the educational or training achievements;

(b)increase participation in education or training; and

(c)expand the range of educational or training opportunities

for 16-19 year olds in the area.

17.  Where the proposals are to alter the upper age limit of the school so that the school ceases to provide sixth form education, a statement of the effect on the supply of 16-19 places in the area.

Special educational needs

18.  Where the proposals are to establish or change provision for special educational needs—

(a)a description of the types of learning difficulties in respect of which education will be provided;

(b)any additional specialist features will be provided;

(c)the proposed numbers of pupils for which the provision is to be made;

(d)details of how the provision will be funded;

(e)a statement as to whether the education will be provided for children with special educational needs who are not registered pupils at the school to which the proposals relate;

(f)a statement as to whether the expenses of the provision will be met from the school’s delegated budget;

(g)the location of the provision if it is not to be established on the existing site of the school; and

(h)where the provision will replace existing educational provision for children with special educational needs, a statement as to how the local education authority believes that the new provision is likely to lead to improvement in the standard, quality and range of the educational provision for such children.

19.  Where the proposals are to discontinue provision for special educational needs—

(a)details of alternative provision for pupils for whom the provision is currently made;

(b)details of the number of pupils for whom provision is made that is recognised by the local education authority as reserved for children with special educational needs during each of the 4 school years preceding the current school year;

(c)details of provision made outside the area of the local education authority for pupils whose needs will not be able to be met in the area of the authority as a result of the discontinuance of the provision; and

(d)a statement as to how the authority believe that the proposals are likely to lead to improvement in the standard, quality and range of the educational provision for such children.

20.  Where the proposals will lead to alternative provision for children with special educational needs, as a result of the establishment, alteration or discontinuance of existing provision, the specific educational benefits that will flow from the proposals in terms of—

(a)improved access to education and associated services including the curriculum, wider school activities, facilities and equipment with reference to the local education authority’s Accessibility Strategy;

(b)improved access to specialist staff, both educational and other professionals, including any external support and outreach services;

(c)improved access to suitable accommodation; and

(d)improved supply of suitable places.

Sex of pupils

21.  Where the proposals are to make an alteration to provide that a school which was an establishment which admitted pupils of one sex only becomes an establishment which admits pupils of both sexes—

(a)details of the likely effect which the alteration will have on the balance of the provision of single sex education in the area;

(b)evidence of local demand for single-sex education; and

(c)details of any transitional period which the body making the proposals wishes specified in a transitional exemption order (within the meaning of section 27 of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975).

22.  Where the proposals are to make an alteration to a school to provide that a school which was an establishment which admitted pupils of both sexes becomes an establishment which admits pupils of one sex only—

(a)details of the likely effect which the alteration will have on the balance of the provision of single-sex education in the area; and

(b)evidence of local demand for single-sex education.

Extended services

23.  If the proposed alterations affect the provision of the school’s extended services, details of the current extended services the school is offering and details of any proposed change as a result of the alterations.

Need or demand for additional places

24.  If the proposals involve adding places—

(a)a statement and supporting evidence of the need or demand for the particular places in the area;

(b)where the school has a religious character, a statement and supporting evidence of the demand in the area for education in accordance with the tenets of the religion or religious denomination; and

(c)where the school adheres to a particular philosophy, evidence of the demand for education in accordance with the philosophy in question and any associated change to the admission arrangements for the school.

25.  If the proposals involve removing places—

(a)a statement and supporting evidence of the reasons for the removal, including an assessment of the impact on parental choice; and

(b)a statement on the local capacity to accommodate displaced pupils.

Additional information in the case of special schools

26.  Where the proposals relate to a special school the following information must also be provided—

(a)information as to the numbers, age range, sex and special educational needs of the pupils (distinguishing boarding and day pupils) for whom provision is made at the school;

(b)information on the predicted rise or fall (as the case may be) in the number of children with particular types of special educational needs requiring specific types of special educational provision;

(c)a statement about the alternative provision for pupils who may be displaced as a result of the alteration;

(d)where the proposals would result in the school being organised to make provision for pupils with a different type or types of special educational needs with the result that the provision which would be made for pupils currently at the school would be inappropriate to their needs, details of the other schools which such pupils may attend including any interim arrangements and transport arrangements to such schools; and

(e)where the proposals relate to a foundation special school a statement as to whether the proposals are to be implemented by the local education authority or by the governing body, and if the proposals are to be implemented by both, a statement as to the extent to which they are to be implemented by each body.