School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013

16 Power of Welsh Ministers to direct closure of school

(1) This section applies if the Welsh Ministers have the power to intervene in the conduct of a maintained school on the basis of ground 8 (school requiring special measures).

(2) The Welsh Ministers may give a direction to the local authority requiring the school to be discontinued on a date specified in the direction.

(3) Before giving a direction under subsection (2), the Welsh Ministers must consult—

(a) the local authority that maintains the school,

(b) the governing body of the school,

(c) in the case of a foundation or voluntary school—

(i) the person who appoints the foundation governors, and

(ii) if the school has a religious character, the appropriate religious body, and

(d) any other persons the Welsh Ministers consider appropriate.

(4) On giving a direction to discontinue the school, the Welsh Ministers must also give notice in writing of the direction to the governing body of the school and its head teacher.

(5) Where the local authority is given a direction under subsection (2), it must discontinue the school in question on the date specified in the direction; and nothing in Part 3 applies to the discontinuance of the school under this section.

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