School Standards and Framework Act 1998

Transfer of control agreement in case of voluntary school

6 (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), the governing body of any voluntary school shall have power to enter into a transfer of control agreement with any body or person if their purpose, or one of their purposes, in doing so is to promote community use of the whole or any part of the school premises; and—

(a) they may do so even though the trust deed for the school would, apart from this sub-paragraph, expressly or impliedly preclude them from entering into such an agreement with that body or person or from conferring control on the controlling body in question; but

(b) they shall not enter into a transfer of control agreement unless the use to which the premises may be put under the agreement is in all other respects in conformity with any such requirements, prohibitions or restrictions imposed by the trust deed as would apply if control were being exercised by the governing body.

(2) The governing body shall not enter into any transfer of control agreement which makes or includes provision for the use of the whole or any part of the school premises during school hours unless they have first obtained the local education authority’s consent to the agreement in so far as it makes such provision.

(3) A transfer of control agreement shall be taken to include the following terms, namely—

(a) that the governing body shall notify the controlling body of—

(i) any directions given to the governing body under paragraph 5(3) (in the case of a voluntary controlled school) or paragraph 7(3) (in the case of a voluntary aided school); and

(ii) any determination made by the foundation governors under paragraph 7(2) (in the case of a voluntary controlled school);

(b) that the controlling body, in exercising control of the use of any premises subject to the agreement—

(i) shall do so in accordance with any directions or determinations from time to time notified to that body in pursuance of paragraph (a); and

(ii) shall have regard to the desirability of the premises being made available for community use; and

(c) that, if reasonable notice is given in writing by the governing body to the controlling body that such of the premises subject to the agreement as may be specified in the notice are reasonably required for use by or in connection with the school at such times as may be so specified, then—

(i) the use of the specified premises at those times shall be under the control of the governing body, and

(ii) accordingly, those premises may be used at those times by or in connection with the school for such purposes as may be specified in the notice,

even though their use at those times would, apart from this paragraph, be under the control of the controlling body.

(4) Sub-paragraph (5) applies where a transfer of control agreement makes express provision for the use of any school premises which are subject to the agreement to be occasionally under the control of the governing body, instead of the controlling body, in such circumstances, at such times or for such purposes as may be provided by or under the agreement.

(5) In such a case paragraph (c) of sub-paragraph (3) shall not have effect in relation to the transfer of control agreement if, at the time of entering into it, the governing body were of the opinion that the express provision would be more favourable to the interests of the school than the term that would otherwise be included by virtue of that paragraph.

(6) Where the governing body enter into a transfer of control agreement, they shall so far as reasonably practicable secure that the controlling body exercises control in accordance with any such directions or determinations as are notified to that body in pursuance of sub-paragraph (3)(a).

(7) In this paragraph—

• “the controlling body” means the body or person (other than the governing body) which has control of the use of the whole or any part of the school premises under the transfer of control agreement in question;

• “transfer of control agreement” means an agreement which (subject to sub-paragraph (3)) provides for the use of so much of the school premises as may be specified in the agreement to be under the control, at such times as may be so specified, of such body or person as may be so specified.