1New schools with special age-limits.
(1)Where a local education authority intend to establish a new county school, or persons other than a local education authority propose that a new school proposed to be established by them, or by persons whom they represent, should be maintained by a local education authority as a voluntary school, and the authority or persons in question submit proposals for that purpose to the Secretary of State under section 13 of the Education Act 1944, the proposals may, if the authority or persons submitting the proposals think fit,—
(a)specify an age which is below the age of ten years and six months and an age which is above the age of twelve years, and
(b)provide that the school shall be established for providing full-time education suitable to the requirements of pupils whose ages are between the ages so specified.
(2)If the Secretary of State approves (with or without modification) any such proposals which make provision as mentioned in the preceding subsection, he shall by order direct that for the purposes of the Education Acts 1944 to 1962 the school shall be deemed to be a primary school, or shall be deemed to be a secondary school, as may be specified in the order.
(3)The powers conferred by this section shall be exercisable—
(a)notwithstanding anything contained in the Education Acts 1944 to 1962, and, in particular, in section 7 of the Education Act 1944 (which relates to the stages in which the statutory system of public education is to be organised), but
(b)without prejudice to the exercise of any other power conferred by those Acts.