Schools causing concern
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Statutory guidance on local authorities’ and regional schools commissioners’ responsibilities relating to schools and PRUs causing concern.
Documents
Schools causing concern: guidance for local authorities and RSCs
Ref: DFE-00013-2018PDF, 551KB, 46 pages
Details
This guidance describes how:
- local authorities and regional schools commissioners (RSCs) will intervene in underperforming local-authority-maintained schools
- RSCs will intervene in underperforming academies
- RSCs will intervene in pupil referral units (PRUs) judged inadequate by Ofsted
PRUs are places that provide education for children who can’t go to a mainstream school.
If you’re a local authority you:
- must follow this statutory guidance by law
- should use this guidance in conjunction with the interim executive board application form
You should also be aware of how this guidance affects your school if you’re part of a:
- diocese
- school foundation
- governing body of maintained schools
- academy trust
Statutory guidance sets out what schools and local authorities must do to comply with the law. You should follow the guidance unless you have a very good reason not to.
Published 2 May 2014
Last updated 2 October 2020 + show all updates
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Updated page 31 of the guidance to provide clarity about the factors the Secretary of State will take into account when considering a request to revoke an academy order.
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Updated guidance to reflect current policy, including: removal of references to coasting and floor standards; how our school support offer will work in 2019 to 2020; how LAs have a legal obligation to inform the department when they use their intervention powers; a new section on academies causing concern; information on financial intervention in academies; and Pupil Referral Unit intervention guidance. No new policy has been introduced that has not already been publicly announced.
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Updated guidance with changes regarding accountability and roles in the schools system.
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Updated to clarify the indicators that are taken into account for warning notices.
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Updated to describe new process for schools that meet the coasting definition.
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Updated page 21 of ‘Schools causing concern: guidance for local authorities and RSCs’ to cover the use of writing data in 2017.
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Added the ‘DfE intervention powers in pupil referral units judged inadequate by Ofsted’ document.
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Added revised statutory guidance, which applies from 18 April 2016.
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Added a link to the consultation ‘Intervening in failing, underperforming and coasting schools’.
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Updated to describe local authority accountability over governance in maintained schools, and over performance, special educational needs and safeguarding in academies.
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First published.
Responses