http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/18/section/51Education Act 2005An Act to make provision about the inspection of schools, child minding, day care, nursery education and careers services; to make other provision about school education; to make provision about the training of persons who work in schools and other persons who teach, about the supply of personal information for purposes related to education and about the attendance of children at educational provision outside schools; and for connected purposes.texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2026-06-08Expert Participation2026-06-01 Part 1Chapter 6511Where—afor the purpose of enabling them to exercise any education function of theirs, a local authority require information about any matter in connection with a school which is maintained by them, andbit is not reasonably practicable for them to obtain the information in any other manner,they may cause an inspection of the school to be made by one or more of their officers for the purpose of obtaining the information.2An officer of a local authority inspecting a school under this section has at all reasonable times a right of entry to the premises of the school.S. 51 wholly in force; s. 51 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 125; s. 51 in force for E. at 1.9.2005 by S.I. 2005/2034, art. 4; S. 51 in force for W. at 1.9.2006 by S. I. 2006/1338, art. 3, Sch. 1Pt. 1 applied in part (with modifications) (E.) (1.2.2008) by The Education (Pupil Referral Units) (Application of Enactments) (England) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/2979), reg. 1(1), reg. 3, Sch. 1 para. 21Pt. 1 applied (with modifications) (W.) (23.4.2007) by The Education (Pupil Referral Units) (Application of Enactments) (Wales) Regulations 2007(S.I. 2007/1069), reg. 3, {Sch. 1 para. 11}Pt. 1 applied (with modifications) (E.) (1.9.2005) by The Education (Pupil Referral Units) (Application of Enactments) (England) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/2039), reg. 3, Sch. 1 para. 11Pt. 1 applied in part (with modifications) (1.2.2008) by Education (Pupil Referral Units) (Application of Enactments)(England) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/2979), reg. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 21Pt. 1 applied (1.4.2010) by Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 (c. 22), ss. 137(3), 269(4); S.I. 2010/1151, art. 2, Sch. 1 (with arts. 5-20)Words in Act substituted (5.5.2010) by The Local Education Authorities and Children’s Services Authorities (Integration of Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1158), Sch. 2 para. 13(2)Word in s. 51(1)(a) inserted (5.5.2010) by The Local Education Authorities and Children’s Services Authorities (Integration of Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1158), art. 1, Sch. 2 para. 13(4)