School Standards and Framework Act 1998

Intervention by Secretary of State

18 Power of Secretary of State to appoint additional governors

(1) If at any time section 15 applies to a maintained school by virtue of subsection (6) of that section (school requiring special measures), the Secretary of State may appoint such number of additional governors as he thinks fit; and he may nominate one of those governors to be the chairman of the governing body in place of any person who has been elected as chairman of that body.

(2) Before making any such appointment in relation to a voluntary aided school, the Secretary of State shall consult—

(a) in the case of a Church of England school, a Church in Wales school or a Roman Catholic Church school, the appropriate diocesan authority; or

(b) in any other case, the person who appoints the foundation governors.

(3) A governor appointed under this section—

(a) shall hold office as governor for such term, and

(b) if nominated as chairman of the governing body, shall be chairman of that body for such period,

as the Secretary of State may determine.

(4) The Secretary of State may pay to any governor appointed under this section such remuneration and allowances as the Secretary of State may determine.

(5) In relation to any appointment made by the Secretary of State by virtue of subsection (1) to the governing body of a school, the instrument of government for the school shall have effect as if (despite anything in Part II of Schedule 9) it provided for the Secretary of State to appoint such number of additional governors as he thinks fit.

(6) Where the Secretary of State has exercised his power under this section in relation to a school, then—

(a) in any such case—

(i) the local education authority may not exercise their power under paragraph 1 of Schedule 15 to suspend the governing body’s right to a delegated budget, and

(ii) if they have already exercised that power or their power under section 17(1), the Secretary of State shall, if requested to do so by the governing body, revoke the suspension; and

(b) in the case of a voluntary aided school, nothing in paragraph 14 of Schedule 9 shall be read as authorising the appointment of foundation governors for the purpose of outnumbering the other governors as augmented by those appointed by the Secretary of State under this section.

(7) The revocation of a suspension under subsection (6)(a) shall—

(a) be notified to the local education authority in writing; and

(b) take effect from such date as is specified in that notification.

19 Power of Secretary of State to direct closure of school

(1) If at any time section 15 applies to a maintained school by virtue of subsection (6) of that section (school requiring special measures), the Secretary of State may give a direction to the local education authority requiring the school to be discontinued on a date specified in the direction.

(2) Before giving a direction under subsection (1), the Secretary of State shall consult—

(a) the local education authority and the governing body of the school;

(b) in the case of a foundation or voluntary school which is a Church of England school, a Church in Wales school or a Roman Catholic Church school, the appropriate diocesan authority;

(c) in the case of any other foundation or voluntary school, the person who appoints the foundation governors; and

(d) such other persons as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

(3) On giving a direction under subsection (1) the Secretary of State shall give notice in writing of the direction to the governing body of the school and its head teacher.

(4) Where the local education authority are given a direction under subsection (1), they shall discontinue the school in question on the date specified in the direction; and nothing in sections 29 to 33 shall apply to their discontinuance of the school under this section.

(5) In this section any reference to the discontinuance of a maintained school is to the local education authority ceasing to maintain it.