Education Act 1996

426 Minimum number for admission

(1) The governing body of a grant-maintained school shall not fix as the number of pupils in any relevant age group it is intended to admit to the school in any school year a number which is less than the approved admission number for that age group.

(2) Subject to subsections (3) and (4) and sections 427 and 428, the approved admission number for any relevant age group is the number specified in the relevant proposals as the number of pupils intended to be admitted to the school in that age group in the first school year beginning on or after the date of implementation of the proposals.

For this purpose “the relevant proposals” means the proposals published under section 193, 211 or 212 above (or, as the case may be, under section 32, 48 or 49 of the [1993 c. 35.] Education Act 1993 or section 62 of the [1988 c. 40.] Education Reform Act 1988).

(3) Where proposals for a significant change in the character, or significant enlargement of the premises, of a grant-maintained school or for the transfer of such a school to a new site have been approved or adopted under section 261 above (or, as the case may be, under section 98 of the [1993 c. 35.] Education Act 1993 or section 89 of the Education Reform Act 1988), the approved admission number for any relevant age group for any school year for which the proposals have been wholly or partly implemented is—

(a) the number specified in the proposals as the number of pupils proposed to be admitted to the school in that age group in the first school year in relation to which the proposals have been wholly implemented, or

(b) if for any school year in relation to which the proposals have been partly implemented the Secretary of State directs the substitution of a different number, that number.

(4) The approved admission number in relation to any relevant age group may be varied in the case of any such school with the approval of the Secretary of State.