Part II Rights and duties of Parents and functions of Education Authorities in relation to Individual Pupils
Provision of food and clothing
54 Provision of clothing for pupils at public schools.
1
When it is brought to the notice of an education authority that a pupil attending a school under their management F1, or a self-governing school, is unable by reason of the inadequacy or unsuitability of his clothing to take full advantage of the education provided, the education authority shall make such provision for the pupil for the purpose of ensuring that he is sufficiently and suitably clad as they may deem necessary during such period while the pupil is attending school (including days when the school does not meet) as they may determine.
2
Where an education authority make provision for a pupil in pursuance of this section, they shall be entitled to recover from the parent of the pupil the expense thereby incurred or, if the authority are satisfied that the parent is unable without financial hardship to pay the whole of that expense, such part thereof, if any, as he is, in the opinion of the authority, able without financial hardship to pay.
3
Without prejudice to any powers conferred upon them by subsections (1) and (2) above, an education authority may provide clothing free of charge—
i
for any pupil who is a boarder at a school, or
ii
for any pupil in attendance at a nursery school or a nursery class,
under the management of the authority F2; or for any pupil who is a boarder at a self-governing school.
4
For the purposes of this section—
a
a pupil on attaining the age of five years shall, pending his admission to school, be deemed to be attending a school under the management of the education authority in whose area he is ordinarily resident; and
b
F3a recorded child or recorded young person in respect of whom an education authority are, under section 62(3) of this Act, under a duty shall be deemed to be attending a school under the management of that authority.