After section 497B of the Education Act 1996 (but before the italic heading before section 498) insert—

“497CAcademies: power to secure performance of proprietor’s duties

(1)

If the Secretary of State is satisfied that the proprietor of an Academy has breached a duty imposed by Academy arrangements, the Secretary of State may give the proprietor such directions as the Secretary of State considers appropriate to secure the proper performance of the duty.

(2)

Subsection (3) applies (instead of section 572) to the giving of a direction under this section.

(3)

The Secretary of State may give a direction under this section to the proprietor of an Academy by—

(a)

delivering it by hand to the proprietor,

(b)

leaving it at or sending it by post to any address at which the Secretary of State believes, on reasonable grounds, that the notice will come to the attention of the proprietor, or

(c)

sending it to any email address by means of which the Secretary of State believes, on reasonable grounds, that the notice will come to the attention of the proprietor.

(4)

A direction under this section is enforceable, on the application of the Secretary of State, by a mandatory order.

(5)

In this section, a reference to an Academy includes a reference to a city technology college and a city college for the technology of the arts.”