Explanatory note

These regulations amend the School Information England Regulations 2008 (the 2008 Regulations).

Regulation 4 amends regulation 2 of the 2008 regulations to include new definitions, including a definition of a school with an “atypical age of admission”. This means a school whose first year of admission is the beginning of the fourth key stage or the year before that, but does not include the type of school that pupils progress to from Middle Schools, commonly known as a High School.

Regulation 5(a) amends regulation 5(1) of the 2008 regulations to require a local authority to include in its composite prospectus information about schools with an atypical age of admission which are outside, but within a reasonable travelling distance of, the local authority area.

Regulation 5(b) inserts a new regulation 5(2A) into the 2008 regulations to provide that a local authority must include in its composite prospectus a prominent statement about schools in its area (or within reasonable travelling distance of its area) which have an atypical age of admission. It must give information about the age range of the schools and where to find information about them in the composite prospectus.

Regulation 6 inserts a new regulation 9A into the 2008 Regulations. Regulation 9A places a requirement on local authorities to send information to parents about schools with an atypical age of admission that are in, or within reasonable travelling distance of, the local authority area. Local authorities are required by regulation 9A(3) to send the information to parents of children registered at schools in their area who are eligible to apply to those schools. The information informs parents that their child may apply to a school with an atypical age of admission, giving the name of the school or schools and the information specified in Part 2 of Schedule 2 (information about each individual school including contact details, pupil numbers and age range and admission arrangements).

Regulation 6 also inserts a new regulation 9B into the 2008 Regulations. Regulation 9B is a transitional provision concerning admission to a school with an atypical age of admission in the academic year 2017-18. Local Authorities must send information to parents of eligible pupils within four weeks of 14th February 2017 (the date that these regulations come into force) notifying them that their children may apply to be admitted to such schools in the academic year 2017-18 and providing the information required by regulation 9A.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument it has no impact on business and civil society organisations. The instrument has a minimal impact on the public sector.