Education Act 1996

203 “Pending” procedure for acquisition of grant-maintained status

(1) For the purposes of this Chapter the procedure for acquisition of grant-maintained status is pending in relation to a school when it has been initiated in relation to the school on any occasion and not terminated (as initiated on that occasion).

(2) For those purposes, that procedure is to be regarded as initiated in relation to a school on any occasion—

(a) on receipt by the local education authority of notice of a meeting of the governing body at which a motion for a resolution to hold a ballot of parents on the question whether grant-maintained status should be sought for the school is to be considered (not being a case falling within section 186(3)), or

(b) where the governing body have received a request under subsection (1) of section 187, on receipt by the local education authority of notice under subsection (3)(b) of that section.

(3) For those purposes, that procedure, as initiated on any occasion, is to be regarded as terminated—

(a) (when initiated as mentioned in subsection (2)(a)) if—

(i) the meeting is not held,

(ii) the meeting is held but the motion is not moved or, though the motion is moved, the resolution is not passed, or

(iii) the resolution is passed but the result of the ballot to which the notice under section 186(1)(b) relates does not show a majority in favour of seeking grant-maintained status for the school;

(b) (when initiated as mentioned in subsection (2)(b)) if the result of the ballot to which the notice under section 187(3)(b) relates does not show a majority in favour of seeking grant-maintained status for the school;

(c) if—

(i) proposals which by reference to the result of a ballot to which a notice under section 186(1)(b) or 187(3)(b) relates are required to be published under section 193, or

(ii) any proposals required in substitution for those proposals,

are rejected by the Secretary of State or withdrawn; or

(d) on the date of implementation of such proposals.

(4) Where section 191 applies in the case of such a ballot, the references in subsection (3) above to the result of that ballot shall be read as references to the result of the second ballot required by that section.

(5) The reference in subsection (3) above to proposals required in substitution for any proposals (“the original proposals”) required to be published by reference to the result of a ballot is to any proposals required to be published by virtue of section 194(1) or (3) on withdrawal or (as the case may be) rejection of—

(a) the original proposals, or

(b) any further proposals required to be published by virtue of section 194(1) or (3) in respect of the school without a further ballot.

(6) Proposals published under section 193 shall not be treated for the purposes of subsection (3)(c) as rejected in any case where the Secretary of State imposes a requirement under section 194(3) or as withdrawn in any case where he imposes a requirement under section 194(1) for the publication of further proposals.