School Standards and Framework Act 1998

2 Plans by LEAs for reducing infant class sizes

(1) Every local education authority shall prepare a statement setting out the arrangements which the authority propose to make for the purpose of securing that any limit imposed under section 1 is complied with in relation to infant classes at schools maintained by the authority.

(2) The statement shall—

(a) contain such information as to the proposed arrangements, and

(b) take such form,

as may be prescribed; and in preparing the statement the authority shall have regard to any guidance given from time to time by the Secretary of State.

(3) In the course of preparing the statement the authority shall carry out such consultation as may be prescribed.

(4) A prescribed body or person, or a body or person falling within any prescribed category, shall provide the authority—

(a) with such documents or information, or

(b) with such other assistance,

as the authority may reasonably request from that body or person for the purpose of enabling them to prepare the statement.

(5) The authority shall submit the statement to the Secretary of State for his approval—

(a) by such date as may be prescribed, or

(b) by such later date as he may allow, where he is satisfied that it is reasonable to do so in view of any particular circumstances relating to the authority;

and different dates may be prescribed for different authorities.

(6) If the Secretary of State decides not to approve the authority’s proposed arrangements—

(a) he shall notify the authority of his decision and of his reasons for it; and

(b) the authority shall prepare a revised statement under this section in respect of their proposed arrangements.

(7) Where the authority are required by subsection (6) to prepare a revised statement, the preceding provisions of this section shall apply to it as they applied to the original statement, except that—

(a) in preparing the revised statement the authority shall have regard to the Secretary of State’s reasons for not approving their original proposals; and

(b) the revised statement shall be submitted to the Secretary of State by such date as he may determine.

(8) In subsection (4) “document” includes information recorded otherwise than in legible form, and the reference to the provision of a document is, in the case of information so recorded, a reference to the provision of a copy of that information in legible form.