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Education Act 1996, Section 342 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 14 August 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
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(1)The [F2Secretary of State] may approve under this section any school [F3in England] which—
(a)is specially organised to make special educational provision for pupils with special educational needs, and
(b)is not a community or foundation special school [F4or an Academy school],
and may give F5... approval before or after the school is established.
(2)Regulations may make provision as to the requirements which are to be complied with as a condition of approval under subsection (1) above.
(3)Any school which was a special school immediately before 1st April 1994 shall be treated, subject to subsection (4) below, as approved under this section.
(4)Regulations may make provision as to—
(a)the requirements which are to be complied with by a school while approved under this section, and
(b)the withdrawal of approval from a school (including approval treated as given under subsection (3)) at the request of the proprietor or on the ground that there has been a failure to comply with any prescribed requirement.
(5)Without prejudice to the generality of subsections (2) and (4), the requirements which may be imposed by the regulations include requirements—
(a)which call for arrangements to be approved by the [F6Secretary of State] , or
(b)as to the organisation of any special school as a primary school or as a secondary school.
[F7(5A)Regulations shall make provision for securing that, so far as practicable, every pupil attending a school in England that is approved under this section—
(a)receives religious education unless withdrawn from receiving such education in accordance with the wishes of the pupil's parent, and
(b)attends religious worship unless withdrawn from attendance at such worship—
(i)in the case of a sixth-form pupil, in accordance with the pupil's own wishes, and
(ii)in any other case, in accordance with the wishes of the pupil's parent.
(5B)In subsection (5A) “a sixth-form pupil” means a pupil who—
(a)has ceased to be of compulsory school age, and
(b)is receiving education suitable to the requirements of pupils over compulsory school age.]
F8(6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]
Editorial Information
X1S. 342: With effect from 1.9.1999 s. 342 became subsumed by new cross-heading "Approval of non-maintained special schools". Versions of this provision as it stood at any time before that date cannot be accessed directly by navigation from this version. To view those versions, it is recommended that users either conduct an 'advanced search' specifying an 'as at' date earlier than 1.9.1999 or navigate via the Chapter II heading.
Textual Amendments
F1S. 342 and cross-heading substituted for s. 342 (1.9.1999) by 1998 c. 31, s. 140(1), Sch. 30 para. 82 (with ss. 138(9), 144(6)); S.I. 1999/2323, art. 2(1), Sch. 1
F2Words in s. 342(1) substituted (1.9.2021) by Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 (anaw 2), ss. 57(3)(a)(i), 100(3); S.I. 2021/373, art. 8(e)
F3Words in s. 342(1) inserted (1.9.2021) by Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 (anaw 2), ss. 57(3)(a)(ii), 100(3); S.I. 2021/373, art. 8(e)
F4Words in s. 342(1)(b) inserted (1.9.2014) by Children and Families Act 2014 (c. 6), s. 139(6), Sch. 3 para. 37; S.I. 2014/889, art. 7(a) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2014/2270 (as amended (1.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/505)
F5Word in s. 342(1) repealed (30.3.2010) by Education and Skills Act 2008 (c. 25), ss. 142(3)(b), 173(4), Sch. 2; S.I. 2010/1093, art. 2(a)(c)
F6Words in s. 342(5)(a) substituted (1.9.2021) by Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 (anaw 2), ss. 57(3)(b), 100(3); S.I. 2021/373, art. 8(e)
F7S. 342(5A)(5B) inserted (30.3.2010) by Education and Skills Act 2008 (c. 25), ss. 143(2), 173(4); S.I. 2010/1093, art. 2(a)
F8S. 342(6) omitted (1.9.2021) by virtue of Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 (anaw 2), ss. 57(3)(c), 100(3); S.I. 2021/373, art. 8(e)
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1S. 342: power to amend conferred (1.4.2018) by Children and Social Work Act 2017 (c. 16), ss. 34(6)(a), 70(2); S.I. 2018/346, reg. 4(e)
C2S. 342: power to amend conferred (1.4.2018) by Children and Social Work Act 2017 (c. 16), ss. 35(4)(a), 70(2); S.I. 2018/346, reg. 4(f)
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