The Education Reform(Northern Ireland) Order 1989

Grants to voluntary grammar schools

60.—(1) The Department may make grants to the Board of Governors of a voluntary grammar school towards expenditure incurred or to be incurred in carrying on the school, except—

(a) expenditure incurred or to be incurred for the provision or alteration of the premises of the school; and

(b) expenditure incurred or to be incurred for the provision of equipment for the school which is approved expenditure for the purposes of Article 116(1)(c) of the principal Order.

(2) Grants under this Article shall be made on such conditions (including conditions as to repayment) as the Department may determine.

(3) The amount of a grant to be paid under this Article to the Board of Governors of each individual voluntary grammar school in any financial year shall—

(a) in so far as it derives from the aggregated voluntary grammar schools budget of the Department for that year, be determined by the Department (and from time to time revised) by the application of a formula determined by the Department for the purpose of dividing that budget among all voluntary grammar schools;

(b) in so far as it derives from excluded heads or items of expenditure of the Department in that year, be such as the Department may determine.

(4) In paragraph (3) the reference to the aggregated voluntary grammar schools budget of the Department for a financial year is a reference to the amount remaining after deducting from the amount appropriated by the Department for meeting expenditure in that year in respect of grants under this Article to all voluntary grammar schools (“the general voluntary grammar schools budget of the Department”) the amount of any expenditure of the Department in that year on such heads or items of expenditure as the Department may specify for the purposes of this Article (“excluded heads or items of expenditure”).

(5) Before determining the formula to be applied under paragraph (3)(a) in relation to a financial year, the Department shall consult the Board of Governors of every voluntary grammar school and any other person or body appearing to the Department to be concerned.

(6) In determining the formula to be applied under paragraph (3)(a) in relation to a financial year the Department shall have regard to the allocation formulae for the time being included in schemes in accordance with Article 49.

(7) In this Article “formula” includes methods, principles and rules of any description, however expressed.

(8) The Department may by order substitute for references in this Article and Article 61 to a financial year references to such other period as may be specified in the order.