Education (Scotland) Act 1980

[F1 75A Assisted places at grant-aided and independent schools. S

(1) [F2 The Secretary of State shall, subject to subsections (1A) and (1B) below,] operate a scheme whereby—

(a) participating schools remit fees that would otherwise be chargeable in respect of pupils admitted to assisted places under the scheme; and

(b) the Secretary of State reimburses the schools for the fees that are remitted.

[F3 (1A) The Secretary of State shall operate a scheme such as is described in subsection (1) above only in relation to any pupil admitted to an assisted place under such a scheme prior to the beginning of the first term of the 1997-98 school year where the pupil will be in attendance at the school concerned—

(a) at the beginning of that term; or

(b) after the beginning of that term but before the end of that school year, and where it appears to the Secretary of State that it is reasonable, in view of any particular circumstances relating to that pupil, that he should be permitted to take advantage of that place after the beginning of that term,

and, for the purposes of this section, “1997-98 school year” means the period of twelve months beginning on 1st August 1997.

(1B) A pupil holding an assisted place who is receiving primary education during the 1997-98 school year shall cease to hold that place—

(a) at the end of the school year in which he completes his primary education; or

(b) if the Secretary of State, where he is satisfied that it is reasonable to do so in view of any particular circumstances relating to that pupil, decides that he should continue to hold that place for a further period during which he receives secondary education, at the end of that period.]

[F4 (2) In this section references to a participating school are references to any grant-aided or independent school providing secondary education which the Secretary of State has determined, prior to the coming into force of this subsection, to be a participating school for the purposes of the scheme.]

(3) A determination under subsection (2) above—

(a) shall state the maximum annual amount allocated by the Secretary of State to the school under the scheme including the maximum annual amount so allocated for the purposes of section 75B of this Act; and

(b) may contain such conditions as the Secretary of State thinks fit in addition to those prescribed under subsection (9) below.

[F5 (4) The Secretary of State may alter—

(a) the maximum annual amount referred to in subsection (3)(a) above; or

(b) the conditions referred to in subsection (3)(b) above,

by written notification to the school concerned.]

(5) A participating school shall comply with any conditions contained in a determination under subsection (2) above and with any condition or obligation prescribed under subsection (9) below.

(6) Schedule 1A to this Act shall have effect with respect to the revocation of determinations.

(7) The fees in relation to which the scheme is to have effect shall be—

(a) tuition and other fees the payment of which is a condition of attendance at a participating school but excluding—

(i) boarding fees; and

(ii) such other charges, if any, as may be prescribed by regulations; and

(b) entrance fees for public examinations paid by a participating school in respect of candidates from the school.

(8) If the Secretary of State is of the opinion that any fee which falls to be remitted in whole or in part under a scheme established and operated under this section is excessive, he may substitute for such fee such other amount as he considers appropriate.

(9) The Secretary of State shall by regulations prescribe—

(a) the requirements as to age, residence or other matters which are to be the conditions of eligibility for an assisted place;

(b) the information which participating schools, on a written request from the parent of a pupil who is eligible for an assisted place, shall supply to that parent;

(c) the conditions subject to which, the extent to which, and the arrangements in accordance with which, fees are to be remitted by participating schools;

(d) the time and manner in which participating schools are to claim and receive reimbursements from the Secretary of State;

(e) conditions to be complied with by participating schools with respect to the admission of pupils to assisted places, the fees to be charged, the keeping and auditing of accounts and the furnishing of information to the Secretary of State; and

(f) such other matters as appear to him to be requisite for the purposes of the scheme.

[F6 (9A) Regulations under this section may—

(a) provide for the discharge of any future liabilities of the Secretary of State to make reimbursements of fees by way of lump sum payments; and

(b) provide for the Secretary of State, in a case where a participating school—

(i) merges with another school;

(ii) closes (whether wholly or in part); or

(iii) notifies the Secretary of State that it no longer wishes to provide assisted places,

to authorise the new school or, as the case may be, any other participating school to provide any assisted places which the participating school first mentioned was authorised to provide; and a new school authorised to provide assisted places under regulations made under this section shall be treated for the purposes of this section and section 75B of this Act as if a determination had been made in respect of it under subsection (2) above.

(9B) Without prejudice to his duty to operate a scheme under subsection (1) above in respect of pupils such as are mentioned in subsection (1A) above, the Secretary of State may by regulations make such provision as he considers necessary for or in relation to the ending of the scheme.

(9C) Regulations made under this section or section 75B of this Act may make different provision for different cases, circumstances or areas and may contain such incidental, supplemental, saving or transitional provisions as the Secretary of State thinks fit.]

(10) Regulations under subsection (9) above may authorise the Secretary of State to make provision for any purpose specified in the regulations.

(11) Before making regulations under subsection (9) above the Secretary of State shall consult such bodies as appear to him to be appropriate and to be representative of participating schools.

(12) Regulations made under subsection (9)(c) above shall be reviewed by the Secretary of State in consultation with such bodies as appear to him to be appropriate and to be representative of participating schools—

(a) not later than two years after the date on which the first such regulations are made; and

(b) thereafter at intervals not exceeding two years.

(13) Except where the context otherwise requires, references in this section and section 75B of this Act to a school include references to the proprietors and managers of the school; and references in this section to an independent school are references to an independent school which is—

(a) a registered school; and

(b) conducted only for charitable purposes within the meaning of section 122(1) of this Act.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 75A, 75B inserted by Education (Scotland) Act 1981 (c. 58), s. 5(1)

F2 Words in s. 75A(1) substituted (31.7.1997) by 1997 c. 59, ss. 5(1)(a), 7(3)(with s. 1(3)).

F3 S. 75A(1A)(1B) inserted (31.7.1997) by 1997 c. 59, ss. 5(1)(b), 7(3) (with s. 1(3)).

F4 S. 75A(2) substituted (31.7.1997) by 1997 c. 59, ss. 5(1)(c), 7(3) (with s. 1(3)).

F5 S. 75A(4) substituted (31.7.1997) by 1997 c. 59, ss. 5(1)(d), 7(3) (with s. 1(3)).

F6 S. 75A(9A-(9C) inserted (31.7.1997) by 1997 c. 59, ss. 5(1)(e), 7(3) (with s. 1(3)).