The Schools Forums (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008

Citation, commencement and application

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Schools Forums (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 and come into force on 11th February 2008.

(2) These Regulations apply only in relation to England.

Amendment of the Schools Forums (England) Regulations 2002

2.—(1) The Schools Forums (England) Regulations 2002(1) are amended as follows.

(2) In regulation 1(3), insert where they fall alphabetically—

““local authority 14-19 partnership” means an arrangement made by a local education authority to promote co-operation between itself, the Learning and Skills Council for England(2) and any other person in the area who exercises functions in relation to, or is engaged in activities relevant to, the provision of education and training for 14-19 year olds;

“PVI providers” means persons other than governing bodies of primary schools, local education authorities or the proprietors of Academies who provide nursery education for three and four year olds for which no charge is made.”.

(3) In regulation 3(2), for “fifth”, substitute “third”.

(4) In regulation 4(3)—

(a) before sub-paragraph (a), insert—

“(aa) “head teacher’s representative” means a senior member of staff representing a head teacher;”;

(b) in paragraph (c), after the words “head teacher”, add the words “(or head teacher’s representative)”;

(c) after paragraph (c), insert—

“(ca) senior member of staff means a principal, deputy head teacher, bursar or other person responsible for the financial management of the school; and”.

(5) In regulation 4A(4), after the words “head teachers”, in both places where those words occur, insert—

“(or head teachers’ representatives)”.

(6) For regulation 5, substitute—

“5.— (1) Subject to paragraph (3), where the relevant authority determine that they will appoint non-schools members to their forum, they shall by 1st September 2008 (or, if the determination is made later, on making the determination)—

(a) appoint one or more persons to represent the local authority 14-19 partnership and one or more persons to represent PVI providers; and

(b) identify bodies appropriate for representation on the forum (“appropriate bodies”), seek nominations from, and appoint representatives of, those bodies.

(2) In identifying appropriate bodies for the purposes of paragraph (1)(b), the relevant authority shall consider whether the following should be appropriate bodies—

(a) the Diocesan Board of Education for any diocese any part of which is comprised in the relevant authority’s area;

(b) the bishop of any Roman Catholic Diocese any part of which is comprised in the relevant authority’s area;

(c) where there are schools within the relevant authority’s area, other than Church of England or Roman Catholic schools, designated under section 69(3) of the 1998 Act as having a religious character, the appropriate faith group in respect of any such schools.

(3) The following may not be appointed as non-schools members—

(a) any executive member or relevant officer of the authority;

(b) any representative of—

(i) the local learning and skills council (“the LSC”) or regional learning and skills council for the relevant authority(3), or

(ii) the Learning and Skills Council for England.

(4) Within one month of the appointment of any non-schools member, the relevant authority shall inform schools maintained by them of the name of the member and the body that member is representing.”

(7) After regulation 6(2), insert—

“(2A) At or after such time as LSCs have ceased to exist, the Learning and Skills Council for England shall be entitled to nominate an observer who shall be entitled to attend all meetings of the forum. This does not prevent a person who has already been nominated under paragraph (2) from being nominated under this paragraph.”

(8) In regulation 6(7), before the words, “The members of the forum shall determine their own voting procedures.” insert “Subject to paragraph (11),”.

(9) In regulation 6, after paragraph (10), add—

“(11) The relevant authority shall consult the forum on arrangements for allowing substitutes to attend and vote at meetings of the forum on behalf of schools members and non-schools members, and shall implement such arrangements having taken into account the views of the forum.”.

(10) Regulation 7 is omitted.

Jim Knight

Minister of State

Department for Children, Schools and Families

10th January 2008