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Registration of inspectors in Wales: tribunals hearing appeals under section |
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Constitution of tribunals |
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1 (1) | A tribunal constituted to hear an appeal under section 26 (“a tribunal”) is to |
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(a) | a chairman appointed by the Lord Chancellor, and |
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(b) | two other members appointed by the Assembly. |
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(2) | To be qualified for appointment as chairman of a tribunal, a person must |
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have a 7 year general qualification (within the meaning of section 71 of the |
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Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (c. 41)). |
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(3) | A person may not be appointed after the day on which he attains the age of |
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70 to be the chairman of a tribunal. |
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2 (1) | The Assembly may by regulations make provision with respect to the |
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making of appeals to, and the procedure to be followed by, tribunals. |
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(2) | The regulations may, in particular, make provision— |
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(a) | as to the period within which, and manner in which, appeals must be |
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(b) | for the holding of hearings in private in prescribed circumstances, |
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(c) | as to the persons who may appear on behalf of the parties, |
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(d) | for enabling hearings to be conducted even though a member of the |
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tribunal, other than the chairman, is absent, |
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(e) | as to the disclosure by the appellant, and others, of documents and |
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the inspection of documents, |
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(f) | requiring persons to attend the proceedings and give evidence, |
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(g) | as to the payment of expenses incurred by persons compelled to |
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attend proceedings by regulations made by virtue of paragraph (f), |
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(h) | authorising the administration of oaths to witnesses, |
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(i) | as to the withdrawal of appeals, |
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(j) | as to costs and expenses incurred by any party to the proceedings, |
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(k) | authorising preliminary or incidental matters in relation to an appeal |
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to be dealt with by the chairman of the tribunal hearing that appeal. |
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3 | The Assembly may make such provision as the Assembly thinks fit for— |
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(a) | the allocation of staff for any tribunal, |
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(b) | the remuneration of members of tribunals and the reimbursement of |
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(c) | defraying any reasonable expenses incurred by any tribunal. |
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School inspections in Wales under section 27 |
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“appropriate authority” means— |
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(a) | in relation to a community, foundation or voluntary school, a |
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community or foundation special school or a maintained |
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nursery school, the school’s governing body or, if the school |
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does not have a delegated budget, the local education authority, |
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(b) | in relation to a school falling within section 27(2)(d), the |
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proprietor of the school; |
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“inspection” means an inspection under section 27. |
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Selection of registered inspectors |
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2 (1) | Before entering into any arrangement for an inspection by a registered |
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inspector, the Chief Inspector must invite tenders from at least two persons |
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who can reasonably be expected to tender for the proposed inspection and |
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to do so at arm’s length from each other, and each of whom is either— |
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(a) | a registered inspector, or |
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(b) | a person who the Chief Inspector is satisfied would, if his tender |
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were successful, arrange with a registered inspector for the |
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inspection to be carried out. |
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(2) | Before an inspection takes place the Chief Inspector must consult the |
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appropriate authority about the inspection. |
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3 (1) | Every inspection must be conducted by a registered inspector or member of |
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the Inspectorate with the assistance of a team (“an inspection team”); and no |
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person may act as a member of an inspection team unless— |
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(a) | he is enrolled in the list kept by the Chief Inspector under paragraph |
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(b) | he is a member of the Inspectorate and (if he is not the Chief |
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Inspector) is authorised so to act by the Chief Inspector. |
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(2) | It is the duty of the inspector conducting the inspection to ensure that— |
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(a) | at least one member of the inspection team is a person— |
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(i) | without personal experience in the management of any |
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school or in the provision of education in any school |
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(otherwise than as a governor or in any other voluntary |
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(ii) | whose primary function on the team is not that of providing |
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financial or business expertise, and |
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(b) | no member of the inspection team falls within a category of person |
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prescribed for the purposes of this sub-paragraph. |
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(3) | Otherwise, the composition of the inspection team is to be determined by the |
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inspector conducting the inspection, subject (in the case of a registered |
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inspector) to his complying with any condition imposed under section |
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(4) | Any experience of a kind mentioned in sub-paragraph (2)(a) which it is |
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reasonable to regard as insignificant, having regard to the purposes of sub- |
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paragraph (2), may be ignored by the inspector conducting the inspection. |
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(5) | It is the duty of the inspector conducting the inspection to ensure that no |
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person takes part in an inspection if he has, or has at any time had, any |
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(a) | the school in question, |
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(b) | any person who is employed at the school, |
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(c) | any person who is a member of the school’s governing body, or |
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(d) | the proprietor of the school, |
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| of a kind which might reasonably be taken to raise doubts about his ability |
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to act impartially in relation to that school. |
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Enrolment of persons to act as team members |
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4 (1) | The Chief Inspector must keep a list of persons who may act as members of |
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an inspection team by virtue of paragraph 3(1)(a) (“the list”). |
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(2) | The Chief Inspector may not enrol any person in the list unless, having |
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regard to any conditions that he proposes to impose under section 24(4)(c) |
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(as it applies in accordance with sub-paragraph (4) of this paragraph), it |
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appears to him that that person— |
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(a) | is a fit and proper person for carrying out an inspection, and |
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(b) | will be capable of assisting in an inspection competently and |
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(3) | An application for enrolment in the list must (except in such circumstances |
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as may be prescribed) be accompanied by the prescribed fee. |
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(4) | Subsections (3)(a), (4), (5)(b) and (6) to (9) of section 24 apply in relation to |
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the enrolment of a person in the list and acting as a member of an inspection |
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team as they apply in relation to the registration of a person under |
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subsection (1) of that section and to acting as a registered inspector, but as if |
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the reference in subsection (5)(b) of that section to the need for registered |
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inspectors were a reference to the need for enrolled persons. |
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(5) | Sections 25 and 26 and Schedule 3 apply in relation to enrolment on the list |
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and to a person so enrolled as they apply in relation to registration under |
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section 24(1) and to a person so registered, but with any necessary |
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(6) | In its application to an enrolled person in accordance with sub-paragraph |
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(5), section 25 has effect as if the conditions mentioned in subsection (2) of |
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(a) | that person is no longer a fit and proper person to act as a member of |
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(b) | he is no longer capable of assisting in an inspection competently and |
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(c) | there has been a significant failure on his part to comply with any |
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condition imposed under section 24(4)(c) (as it applies in accordance |
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(7) | Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph 2(1) of Schedule 3, |
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regulations under that provision may provide that, where a person is |
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appealing simultaneously — |
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(a) | against a decision of the Chief Inspector relating to that person’s |
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(b) | against a decision of the Chief Inspector relating to that person’s |
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| both appeals are to be heard at the same time. |
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5 (1) | No person who is not a member of the Inspectorate may conduct an |
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inspection of a school in Wales, or act as a member of an inspection team for |
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such a school, unless he has, in the opinion of the Chief Inspector, |
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satisfactorily completed a course of training provided by, or complying with |
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arrangements approved by, the Chief Inspector. |
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(2) | Where the Chief Inspector provides such training he may charge such fees |
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as are reasonable for the purpose of recovering the whole, or part, of the cost |
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(3) | Sub-paragraph (1) does not apply in such circumstances as may be specified, |
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either generally or in relation to a particular case or class of case, by the Chief |
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6 | Where an inspection is arranged, the appropriate authority for the school |
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(a) | take such steps as are reasonably practicable to notify— |
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(i) | the parents of registered pupils at the school, and |
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(ii) | such other persons as may be prescribed, |
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| of the time when the inspection is to take place, and |
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(b) | arrange a meeting, in accordance with such provisions as may be |
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prescribed, between the inspector conducting the inspection and |
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those parents of registered pupils at the school who wish to attend. |
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7 (1) | An inspector conducting an inspection, and the members of his inspection |
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team, have at all reasonable times— |
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(a) | a right of entry to the premises of the school concerned, and |
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(b) | a right to inspect, and take copies of, any records kept by the school, |
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and any other documents containing information relating to the |
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school, which he requires for the purposes of the inspection. |
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(a) | pupils registered at the school concerned are, by arrangement with |
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another school, receiving part of their education at the other school, |
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(b) | the inspector is satisfied that he cannot properly discharge his duty |
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under section 27(5) in relation to the school concerned without |
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inspecting the provision made for those pupils at that other school, |
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| sub-paragraph (1) applies in relation to that other school as it applies in |
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relation to the school concerned. |
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(3) | An inspector conducting an inspection of a school, and the members of his |
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inspection team, also have at all reasonable times— |
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(a) | a right of entry to any premises (other than school premises) on |
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which, by virtue of arrangements made by the school, any pupils |
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(i) | are registered at the school, and |
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(ii) | have attained the age of 15, or will attain that age in the |
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current school year, but have not ceased to be of compulsory |
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| are receiving part of their education from any person (“the |
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(b) | a right of entry to any premises of the provider used in connection |
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with the provision by him of that education, and |
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(c) | a right to inspect and take copies of— |
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(i) | any records kept by the provider relating to the provision of |
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(ii) | any other documents containing information so relating, |
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| which the inspector or (as the case may be) member of the team |
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requires for the purposes of the inspection. |
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Offence of obstructing inspector or inspection team |
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8 (1) | It is an offence intentionally to obstruct— |
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(a) | the inspector conducting the inspection, or |
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(b) | a member of an inspection team, |
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| in the exercise of his functions in relation to an inspection of a school. |
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(2) | A person guilty of an offence under sub-paragraph (1) is liable on summary |
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conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale. |
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Replacement of inspector during course of inspection |
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9 (1) | This paragraph applies to an inspection where, at any time— |
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(a) | after the meeting required by paragraph 6 is held, but |
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(b) | before the making of the report of the inspection is completed, |
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| the inspector conducting the inspection becomes (for any reason) unable to |
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continue to discharge his functions as an inspector in relation to the |
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(2) | If the conditions set out in sub-paragraph (3) are satisfied— |
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(a) | the Chief Inspector may arrange for that person to be replaced as the |
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inspector conducting the inspection by another person who is either |
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a registered inspector or a member of the Inspectorate, and |
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(b) | if he does so, anything done by or in relation to that person in |
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connection with the inspection is, so far as necessary for his effectual |
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replacement by that other inspector, to be regarded as done by or in |
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relation to that other inspector. |
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(a) | that the appropriate authority for the school concerned have given |
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the Chief Inspector notice in writing of their agreement to the |
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inspector mentioned in sub-paragraph (1) being replaced under this |
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(b) | that the replacement inspector does not have, and has not at any time |
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had, any connection of the kind mentioned in paragraph 3(5) with |
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the school in question or with any other person mentioned there. |
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Sixth forms requiring significant improvement |
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1 | In this Schedule “the 2000 Act” means the Learning and Skills Act 2000 |
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2 (1) | Section 113 of the 2000 Act (inadequate sixth-forms) is amended as follows. |
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(2) | In subsection (1), and in the heading to the section, for “inadequate sixth- |
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forms” substitute “sixth forms requiring significant improvement”. |
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(3) | For subsection (2) substitute— |
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“(2) | Expressions used in that Schedule and in Chapter 2 or 4 of Part 1 of |
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the Education Act 2005 have— |
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(a) | in relation to schools in England, the same meaning as in |
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Chapter 2 of that Part, and |
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(b) | in relation to schools in Wales, the same meaning as in |
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3 (1) | Schedule 7 to the 2000 Act (inadequate sixth forms) is amended as follows. |
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(2) | For the heading to the Schedule, substitute “Sixth forms requiring |
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significant improvement”. |
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(3) | In paragraph 1, for sub-paragraph (2) substitute— |
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“(2) | For the purposes of those paragraphs a school requires significant |
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improvement in relation to its sixth form if— |
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(a) | the school is failing to give its pupils over compulsory |
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school age an acceptable standard of education, or |
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(b) | in relation to its provision for pupils over compulsory |
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school age, the school is performing significantly less well |
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than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be |
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(4) | For paragraph 2 substitute— |
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“2 | If a person who inspects a school— |
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(a) | states in his report an opinion, in accordance with section |
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12(4), 33(7) or 34 (2) or (5) of the Education Act 2005 (school |
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no longer requiring special measures), that special |
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measures are not required to be taken in relation to the |
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(b) | is of the opinion that the school requires significant |
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improvement in relation to its sixth form, |
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| he shall state that opinion in his report.” |
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(a) | in sub-paragraph (1) for “has an inadequate sixth-form” substitute |
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“requires significant improvement in relation to its sixth form”, and |
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(b) | for sub-paragraph (3) substitute— |
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“(3) | The report shall be treated for all purposes of this Schedule |
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and Part 1 of the Education Act 2005 (inspections) as if it |
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were a report of an inspection of a school under section 5 |
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(a) | in sub-paragraph (1)— |
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(i) | in paragraph (a), for “has an inadequate sixth form” |
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substitute “requires significant improvement in relation to its |
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(ii) | in paragraph (b), after “where” insert “the report relates to a |
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(b) | in sub-paragraph (2)— |
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(i) | for paragraph (a) substitute— |
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“(a) | a report of an inspection under Chapter 1 or 3 of |
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Part 1 of the Education Act 2005 states the opinion |
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that the school requires significant improvement in |
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relation to its sixth form,”, and |
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(ii) | at the beginning of paragraph (c) insert “in the case of a |
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(a) | in sub-paragraph (1)— |
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(i) | for “Part I of the Schools Inspection Act 1996” substitute |
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“Chapter 1 or 3 of Part 1 of the Education Act 2005”, and |
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(ii) | in paragraph (b), for “have an inadequate sixth-form” |
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substitute “require significant improvement in relation to its |
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(b) | in sub-paragraph (2), after “Where” insert “, in the case of a school in |
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(a) | for sub-paragraph (1) substitute— |
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“(1) | This paragraph applies to a report of an inspection under |
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Chapter 1 or 3 of Part 1 of the Education Act 2005 which— |
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(a) | states an opinion that a school requires significant |
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improvement in relation to its sixth form, and |
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(b) | in the case of a school in Wales, is made by a |
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member of the Inspectorate or states that the Chief |
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Inspector agrees with the opinion mentioned in |
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(b) | in sub-paragraph (2), for paragraph (b) substitute— |
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(i) | the school is in England, or |
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