2023 No. 1400
EDUCATION, ENGLAND
The Designation of Rural Primary Schools (England) Order 2023
Made 18th December 2023
Coming into force 19th December 2023

The Secretary of State makes the following Order in exercise of the power conferred by section 15(7)(b) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006.
2006 c. 40.

1 Citation and commencement
This Order may be cited as the Designation of Rural Primary Schools (England) Order 2023 and comes into force on 19th December 2023.

2 Designation of rural primary schools
The schools named in the list called “List of Local Authority maintained rural primary schools 2023”, published on the Gov.uk website on 15th December 2023, are designated as rural primary schools in England.

3 Revocation
The Designation of Rural Primary Schools (England) Order 2022 is revoked.
For and on behalf of the Secretary of State
S.I. 2022/1343.
Kim Sibley Deputy Director Department for Education 18th December 2023

Explanatory Note
(This note is not part of the Order)
This Order designates certain primary schools, in England, as rural primary schools for the purposes of section 15 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006. It also revokes the Designation of Rural Primary Schools (England) Order 2022.
Section 15 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 requires that when either a local authority or governing body of certain schools formulates proposals for the discontinuance of a rural primary school it has regard to specific factors. These factors include the likely effect of discontinuance on the local community and any alternatives to the discontinuance of the school. Before publishing proposals for discontinuance, section 16 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 requires that the local authority or governing body must consult certain persons, including parents and, where the local authority is a county council, any district and parish councils.
This Order designates rural primary schools by reference to a list of schools published on 15th December 2023 on the Gov.uk website at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rural-primary-schools-designation . When considering proposals to discontinue schools, local authorities and governing bodies should refer to this list. A copy may also be obtained by writing to the Department for Education at the following address: School Organisation Policy Unit, Department for Education, Third Floor, Bishopsgate House, Darlington, DL1 5QE.
A full regulatory impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.