Education Act 1996

Section 32.

SCHEDULE 5 Special agreements

Preservation of special agreements

1 Any special agreement in force immediately before the commencement of this Act shall continue in force despite the repeal by this Act of Schedule 3 to the [1944 c. 31.] Education Act 1944.

Variation of special agreements

2 (1) A special agreement may be varied by a further agreement between the local education authority and the governors of the school to which it relates, or in such other manner (if any) as may be specified in the agreement.

(2) Sub-paragraph (1) has effect subject to the requirements of paragraph 3.

The grant requirements

3 (1) A special agreement shall provide for the making of a grant by the local education authority to persons specified in the agreement in consideration of the execution by those persons of the proposals to which the agreement relates.

(2) Subject to sub-paragraph (3), the amount of any such grant shall be not less than half, and not more than three-quarters, of the cost of executing the proposals to which the agreement relates.

(3) Where the proposals include proposals for establishing a playing field or any buildings of a kind which it is, under section 45(2)(b), the duty of the local education authority to provide, then—

(a) if the proposals as respects the playing field or buildings are to be executed by the persons specified in the agreement, the amount of the grant (so far as attributable to the cost thereof) shall be equal to the whole of the cost; and

(b) if those proposals are to be executed by the local education authority, the cost thereof shall be borne by them and excluded in computing the amount of the grant.

Religious education

4 (1) A special agreement may provide—

(a) for the giving of religious education in the school in accordance with the provisions of the trust deed relating to it, or (where provision for that purpose is not made by such a deed) in accordance with the practice observed in the school before it became a voluntary school; and

(b) for the employment in the school, for the purpose of giving such religious education, of such number of reserved teachers as may be specified in the agreement.

(2) Sub-paragraph (1)(a) has effect subject to section 378(1)(c) and any arrangements made under section 378(2).

Repayment of grants

5 Any grant made in respect of a school in pursuance of a special agreement may, at any time while the school is a special agreement school, be repaid by the governing body to the local education authority by whom the school is maintained.

Modification of obligations with respect to repairs and alterations

6 Where a special agreement is in force in relation to a school, then, until the proposals to which the agreement relates have been carried out—

(a) the provisions of Part II relating to the respective obligations of the governing bodies of voluntary schools and the local education authority in respect of repairs and alterations to the premises of the school shall not have effect in relation to the school; and

(b) the respective obligations of the governing body of the school and the local education authority in relation to those matters shall instead be such as may be determined by agreement between the governing body and the authority or, in default of agreement, by the Secretary of State.