Education Act 1996

82Review of the constitution of governing bodies

(1)The constitution of the governing body of a county, controlled or maintained special school shall be reviewed in accordance with this section on, or as soon as is reasonably practicable after, the occurrence of any event which is a relevant event in relation to the school.

(2)For the purposes of this section any of the following is a “relevant event” in relation to a school—

(a)the implementation of any proposals falling within subsection (3);

(b)where no such proposals have been implemented in relation to the school before the fourth anniversary of the date on which the current instrument of government for the school was made, that anniversary; and

(c)where a relevant event has previously occurred in relation to the school, the fourth anniversary of the latest such event.

(3)Proposals fall within this subsection if they provide for an increase in the number of registered pupils at the school and are—

(a)proposals under section 35(1)(c) or (d) (alteration of character or premises of a county school or transfer to a new site) or proposals which would fall to be published under section 35(1)(d) but for section 35(2)(b);

(b)proposals under section 41(2)(a) or (b) (alteration of character or premises of a voluntary school or transfer to a new site);

(c)proposals that the Secretary of State should make an order under section 47 (transfer of voluntary school to a new site); or

(d)proposals under section 339(1)(b) (prescribed alteration to maintained special school).

(4)Any review which is required by virtue of the implementation of proposals falling within subsection (3)(a) or (d) shall be carried out by the local education authority; and any other review which is required by this section shall be carried out by the governing body.

(5)Whenever a local education authority or governing body are required to carry out a review under this section, they shall consider—

(a)whether the governing body are properly constituted; and

(b)whether the provision made by the instrument of government for the school is in any respect different from that which a new instrument of government would be required to make.

(6)Where a governing body have carried out a review under this section and have established that the provision made by the instrument of government is in one or more respects different from that which a new instrument of government would be required to make, they shall report the fact to the local education authority.

(7)Where proposals falling within subsection (3)(a) or (d) have been implemented in relation to a school, the local education authority shall determine the date on which, for the purposes of this section, they are to be taken to have been implemented and shall notify the governing body accordingly.