{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/education-act-1996/section-14",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/education-act-1996/section-14.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1996/56",
  "legislation_title": "Education Act 1996",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/education-act-1996",
  "path": "section/14",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "14",
  "heading": "Functions in respect of provision of primary and secondary schools.",
  "text": "(1) A local authority shall secure that sufficient schools for providing—\n(a) primary education, and\n(b) education that is secondary education by virtue of section 2(2)(a),\nare available for their area.\n(2) The schools available for an area shall not be regarded as sufficient for the purposes of subsection (1) unless they are sufficient in number, character and equipment to provide for all pupils the opportunity of appropriate education.\n(3) In subsection (2) “appropriate education” means education which offers such variety of instruction and training as may be desirable in view of—\n(a) the pupils’ different ages, abilities and aptitudes, and\n(b) the different periods for which they may be expected to remain at school,\nincluding practical instruction and training appropriate to their different needs.\n(3A) A local authority in England shall exercise their functions under this section with a view to—\n(a) securing diversity in the provision of schools, and\n(b) increasing opportunities for parental choice.\n(4) A local authority is not by virtue of subsection (1)(a) under any duty in respect of children under compulsory school age.\n(4A) A local authority for an area in Wales may secure that regional schools for providing—\n(a) primary education, and\n(b) education that is secondary education by virtue of section 2(2)(a),\nare available for Wales or any part of Wales that includes the area of the authority.\n(4B) For this purpose a “regional school”, in relation to a local authority, is a school maintained by that authority which provides education to meet both—\n(a) the needs of pupils with particular special educational needs additional learning needs in their area, and\n(b) the needs of such pupils in the rest, or any other part, of Wales,\nwhether or not the institution also provides education suitable to the requirements of other pupils.\n(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(6) In exercising their functions under this section, a local authority shall in particular have regard to—\n(a) the need for securing that primary and secondary education are provided in separate schools;\n(b) the need for securing that special educational provision is made for pupils who have special educational needs (in the case of a local authority in England) or the need for securing that additional learning provision is made for pupils who have additional learning needs (in the case of a local authority in Wales); and\n(c) the expediency of securing the provision of boarding accommodation (in boarding schools or otherwise) for pupils for whom education as boarders is considered by their parents and the authority to be desirable.\n(7) The duty imposed by subsection (6)(a) does not apply in relation to middle schools or special schools.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "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. 7(2) (with Sch. 2 para. 7(4)(5))"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "S. 14(3A) inserted (25.5.2007) by Education and Inspections Act 2006 (c. 40), ss. 2, 188(3); S.I. 2007/935, art. 7(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 14(4) substituted (1.8.1998) by 1997 c. 44, s. 57(1), Sch. 7 para. 12; S.I. 1998/386, art. 2, Sch. 1 Pt. III"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "S. 14(4A)(4B) inserted (19.12.2002) by Education Act 2002 (c. 32), ss. 194(1), 216(3) (with ss. 210(8), 214(4)); S.I. 2002/3185, arts. 2, 4, Sch. Pt. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in s. 14(4B) substituted (1.9.2021 for specified purposes, 1.1.2022 for specified purposes, 1.9.2022 for specified purposes, 1.9.2025 for specified purposes) by Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 (anaw 2), s. 100(3), Sch. 1 para. 4(3)(a); S.I. 2021/373, arts. 3, 4, 6, 7 (as amended by S.I. 2021/938, art. 2); S.I. 2021/1243, art. 3 (with arts. 4-23) (as amended by S.I. 2021/1428, art. 2); S.I. 2021/1244, art. 3 (with arts. 4-21) (as amended by S.I. 2021/1428, art. 3); S.I. 2021/1245, arts. 3, 4 (with art. 1(4)); S.I. 2022/891, art. 3 (with arts. 4-25); S.I. 2022/892, arts. 2, 3 (with arts. 4-18); S.I. 2022/893, arts. 2, 4; S.I. 2022/894, art. 3; S.I. 2022/895, arts. 3, 4; S.I. 2022/896, art. 3 (with arts. 1(7), 4-22); S.I. 2022/897, art. 3 (with arts. 1(8), 4-21); S.I. 2022/898, arts. 2, 3"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "S. 14(5) repealed (1.9.1999) by 1998 c. 31, s. 140(1)(3), Sch. 30 para. 62, Sch.31 (with 138(9), 144(6)); S.I. 1999/2323, art. 2(1), Sch. 1 (with savings in Sch. 7 paras. 2-4, 6, 7, 10, 12)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Words in s. 14(6)(b) inserted (1.9.2021 for specified purposes, 1.1.2022 for specified purposes, 1.9.2022 for specified purposes, 1.9.2025 for specified purposes) by Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 (anaw 2), s. 100(3), Sch. 1 para. 4(3)(b); S.I. 2021/373, arts. 3, 4, 6, 7 (as amended by S.I. 2021/938, art. 2); S.I. 2021/1243, art. 3 (with arts. 4-23) (as amended by S.I. 2021/1428, art. 2); S.I. 2021/1244, art. 3 (with arts. 4-21) (as amended by S.I. 2021/1428, art. 3); S.I. 2021/1245, arts. 3, 4 (with art. 1(4)); S.I. 2022/891, art. 3 (with arts. 4-25); S.I. 2022/892, arts. 2, 3 (with arts. 4-18); S.I. 2022/893, arts. 2, 4; S.I. 2022/894, art. 3; S.I. 2022/895, arts. 3, 4; S.I. 2022/896, art. 3 (with arts. 1(7), 4-22); S.I. 2022/897, art. 3 (with arts. 1(8), 4-21); S.I. 2022/898, arts. 2, 3"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/56/section/14",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:29:40.627017+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}