Education Act 1997

40 Inspector’s rights of entry etc

(1) The inspector in the case of any inspection under section 38, and any person assisting him, shall have at all reasonable times—

(a) a right of entry to the premises of any local education authority to which the inspection relates, and

(b) a right to inspect, and take copies of, any records kept by the authority, and any other documents containing information relating to the authority, which he considers relevant to the exercise of his functions;

and section 42 of the [1996 c. 57.] School Inspections Act 1996 (inspection of computer records for purposes of Part I of that Act) shall apply for the purposes of this section as it applies for the purposes of Part I of that Act.

(2) Without prejudice to subsection (1) above, a local education authority to which an inspection under section 38 relates shall give the inspector, and any person assisting him, all assistance in connection with the exercise of his functions which they are reasonably able to give.

(3) In the case of any inspection under section 38, subsection (1) above shall apply in relation to any school maintained by any local education authority to which the inspection relates as it applies in relation to the authority; and without prejudice to that subsection (as it so applies)—

(a) the governing body of any such school shall give the inspector, and any person assisting him, all assistance in connection with the exercise of his functions which they are reasonably able to give; and

(b) the governing body of any such school and the authority shall secure that all such assistance is also given by persons who work at the school.

(4) In this section “document” and “records” each include information recorded in any form.