Education and Inspections Act 2006

41 Role of admission forums

(1) Chapter 1 of Part 3 of SSFA 1998 (admission arrangements) is amended as follows.

(2) In section 85A (admission forums), in subsection (1)—

(a) omit the “and” at the end of paragraph (a), and

(b) at the end of paragraph (b) insert “, and

(c) in the case of an admission forum for the area of a local education authority in England, exercising any other functions that may be imposed on the forum by or under this Chapter.”

(3) After subsection (1) of that section insert—

“(1A) An admission forum for the area of a local education authority in England may prepare and publish reports on such matters connected with the admission of pupils to maintained schools in that area as may be prescribed.

(1B) For the purposes of the preparation of a report under subsection (1A), an admission forum may request any of the following bodies to provide the forum with any information held by them which falls within a prescribed description and is specified by the forum in its request—

(a) the local education authority which established the forum;

(b) any local education authority in England for an area which adjoins the area of the authority mentioned in paragraph (a);

(c) the governing body of any maintained school in the area for which the forum is established.

(1C) A body mentioned in any of paragraphs (a) to (c) of subsection (1B) must comply with a request made by an admission forum in pursuance of that subsection.”

(4) In subsection (3) of that section—

(a) omit the “and” at the end of paragraph (b), and

(b) after that paragraph insert—

“(ba) as to the preparation and publication of reports under subsection (1A), and”.

(5) After subsection (3) of that section insert—

“(3A) Regulations under subsection (3)(c) may, in relation to England, modify any provision of this Chapter in its application to a joint admission forum.”

(6) After subsection (5) of that section insert—

“(5A) Regulations may make provision with respect to the expenses of an admission forum for the area of a local education authority in England.

(5B) Except as provided by regulations under subsection (5A), the expenses of an admission forum for the area of a local education authority in England are to be defrayed by the local education authority by whom the forum was established.”

(7) In section 89 (procedure for determining admission arrangements) for subsection (10) substitute—

“(10) In this section, “the appropriate bodies”, in relation to an admission authority, means—

(a) the bodies or persons whom they were required to consult under subsection (2), or would but for subsection (2A) have been required to consult, and

(b) in the case of an admission authority for a maintained school in England, the admission forum for the area of the local education authority in which the school is situated.”

(8) In section 90 (reference of objections to adjudicator or Secretary of State)—

(a) in subsection (1) for paragraph (b) substitute—

“(b) an appropriate body wishes to make an objection about those arrangements, and”, and

(b) after subsection (10) insert—

“(11) In this section, “appropriate body” means, in relation to the admission arrangements determined by an admission authority—

(a) any body or person whom the admission authority were required to consult under subsection (2) of section 89, or would but for subsection (2A) of that section have been required to consult, and

(b) in the case of admission arrangements determined by an admission authority for a maintained school in England, the admission forum for the area of the local education authority in which the school is situated.”