Schools (deacademisation) bill

A bill to bring state funded, academies and free schools that are inadequate or failing to make adequate improvements back under Local Education Authority control and oversight.

BE IT ENACTED by The Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Commons in this present Parliament assembled, in accordance with the provisions of the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

Section 1 Definitions

1. State funded school: a school which receives a majority of its funding from central or local government.

2. Academy : as defined by the Academies Act 2010

3. Free school: as defined by the Academies Act 2010

Section 2 Deacademisation

1. Any school that is not under the control of the Local Education Authority shall be returned to Local Education Authority control if it:

   1. Has received an inadequate rating from OFSTED on a Section 5 or 8 inspection more than 3 years after becoming an academy, free school or community school.
   2. Has received 2 consecutive requires improvement ratings from OFSTED on a Section 5 or 8 inspection without the second rating being with 'requires improvement but with good features' with the first of two ratings being recieved more than 3 years after becoming an academy, free school or community school.
   3. Has received 3 consecutive 'requires improvement' from OFSTED on a Section 5 or 8 inspection with the first of three ratings being received more than 3 years after becoming an academy, free school or community school.

2. Any academy chain that has had more than one half of its school returned to local education authority control shall be disbanded.

   1. All schools that were part of the disbanded academy chain that received 'requires improvement' on their last rating shall be returned to local education authority control.
   2. All schools that were part of a disbanded academy chain rated' good' at their last Ofsted inspection shall have the option to join a different academy chain or return to LEA control.
   3. Schools that were part of a disbanded academy chain and rated 'outstanding' at their last Ofsted inspection shall have the option to join a different academy chain, form their own academy chain or return to LEA control.

Section 3 provisions for return to LEA control

1. Any school that is returning to LEA control, with the exception of schools that are electing to return to Lea control shall have no fewer then 3 half terms and no more than 9 half terms to comply with this act

   1. Any school that receives notice that it is to return to after the commencement of February half term shall have until 2nd 1st Augusts following to comply
   2. Any school that receives notice that it is to return to LEA control prior to the commencement of February half term shall have until the following 1st August to comply.

2. Any school that elects to return to LEA control shall have until the 2nd 1st August following notice that they are returning to LEA control to comply.

Section 4 New Academies and free schools

1. The Secretary of state shall refuse any application for schools to become and academy unless the Secretary of State believes there is a compelling reason that the school should become an academy.

   1. There must also be evidence to show that the proposed leadership of the school are competent with a proven record of running a good academy school
   2. A clear strategy of how outcomes at the school are to be improved or, if the school is already outstanding, maintained must be shown for any application to be approved

2. The Secretary of State shall refuse any application to set up a free school unless there is a compelling reason that there needs to be a new school and there has been a consultation with the community where by a new free school is demanded and the prospective management is believed to be capable of running a school.

Section 5 Final provisions

1. This bill may be cited as the Schools (deacademisation) Act 2016

2. This bill affects England and Wales only

3. This bill shall come into force on 1st August 2016

This bill was submitted by /u/Ajubbajub and /u/Chrispytoast123 on behalf of the 10th Government.

The voting period for this bill will end on July 5th, 10PM BST.

Vote Aye, Nay or Abstain. Comments with anything else will be deleted. Comments that are edited will be void and not counted.

If a member is voting by proxy, they must have gained permission from the speaker prior to this vote. If no permission was sought and granted, their vote will not be counted.