The Education Reform(Northern Ireland) Order 1989

CHAPTER III COMMUNITY USE OF SCHOOL PREMISES

Community schools

139.—(1) The Department may, on the application of the managers of a grant-aided school, designate that school as a community school.

(2) The Department shall not designate a school as a community school unless it appears to the Department that—

(a) activities other than school activities (“non-school activities”) are carried on on the school premises; and

(b) the activities which are so carried on are carried on wholly or mainly under the management or control of the Board of Governors of the school.

(3) A designation by the Department under paragraph (1) may be subject to such terms and conditions as the Department thinks fit.

(4) Before deciding whether to designate a grant-aided school as a community school in pursuance of an application by the managers of the school the Department shall ensure that—

(a) particulars of the application have been furnished to any board and the trustees or managers of any school which would, in the opinion of the Department, be affected by the designation;

(b) an opportunity is given to any such board, trustees or managers to make representations to the Department; and

(c) any representations so made are taken into account by the Department.

(5) The voting members of the Board of Governors of a grant-aided school which is designated under paragraph (1) as a community school shall co-opt not less than one and not more than three appropriate persons to be members of the Board of Governors of the school.

(6) In paragraph (5) “appropriate persons” means persons appearing to the voting members to be representative of the persons who take part in the non-school activities carried on on the school premises.

(7) Members co-opted to the Board of Governors of a school under this Article shall be additional to any members co-opted under Article 122 and in this Article “voting members” has the same meaning as in that Article.

(8) This Article does not apply to a voluntary school to which Article 11(8) of the principal Order applies.

Community use of school premises

140.  Subject to regulations—

(a) the managers and Board of Governors of every controlled school;

(b) the trustees and managers of every voluntary school and grant-maintained integrated school,

shall, in exercising their respective powers in relation to the school premises, have regard to the desirability of the premises being made available (when not required by or in connection with the school) for use by members of the community served by the school.