Academy schools, including free schools, are required by their funding agreements to comply with the School Admissions Code when setting their admission arrangements. The Code is clear that the criteria they use to decide the allocation of school places must be \u2018fair, clear and objective'.<\/p>
<\/p>
Anyone who considers that these schools' admission arrangements are unlawful or do not comply with the Code can object to the Schools Adjudicator. An adjudicator's determination of an objection is binding and enforceable on the school concerned.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Code requires local authorities to object to any non-compliant admission arrangements.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4270", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Nash"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Nash"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-07-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-07T14:57:59.5659968Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-07-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Academies"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that local authorities prevent free schools and academies from adopting unfair and arbitrary admissions procedures.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4238", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Storey"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Storey"} ], "uin" : "HL722"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/65187", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/65187/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government is committed to closing the attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their peers. Grammar schools and the highest performing non-selective schools currently have some of the lowest representations of children eligible for free school meals in England. We want to encourage all high performing schools, including grammar schools to do more to attract and support disadvantaged children.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Department for Education is working with the Grammar Schools Heads Association to develop a programme to:<\/p>
<\/p>
a. support those grammar schools that are academies and that are considering giving admissions priority to pupils eligible for free school meals;<\/p>
<\/p>
b. introduce entrance tests that more accurately measure a child's potential and thus avoid the need for prior coaching; and<\/p>
<\/p>
c. work with local primary schools to raise standards for deprived children and increase parental engagement.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4270", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Nash"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Nash"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-07-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-07T15:05:28.4226369Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-07-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Grammar Schools"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for grammar schools to change their admissions procedures to increase the uptake of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4238", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Storey"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Storey"} ], "uin" : "HL723"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/65195", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/65195/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 provides that the parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable (a) to his age, ability and aptitude, and (b) to any special educational needs he may have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise, but there is no definition of full-time education in education legislation.<\/p>
There are regulations covering the number of days (190) a year that maintained schools must be open, but no requirements as to the number of hours per day.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4270", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Nash"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Nash"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-07-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-08T12:50:15.7592638Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2014-07-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Special Educational Needs"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the definition of \"full-time education\" in relation to special educational needs at each stage of the education system.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1861", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for The Countess of Mar"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "The Countess of Mar"} ], "uin" : "HL731"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/64615", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/64615/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department for Education believes that improving the quality of teaching in literacy and numeracy is crucial to building the foundation for future study and work. The Government has revised the national curriculum and set more rigorous and challenging content in English and mathematics to match the highest performing countries around the world. The new programmes of study for English and maths will challenge pupils to realise their potential in an increasingly competitive global market.<\/p>
<\/p>
The new maths GCSE will have more content, be more challenging and \u2013 alongside English - will be double weighted in school performance tables. The Department has recently allocated £11 million to fund <\/p> The new national curriculum for English places a greater emphasis on reading and requires pupils to study a range of books, poems and plays.<\/p> The national curriculum for English will give teachers greater flexibility and freedom which will help to raise standards and expectations for all pupils. It has been significantly slimmed down and will free up teachers to use their professional judgement to design curricula that meet the needs of their pupils.<\/p> <\/p> The new English language GCSE will place greater demands on pupils and has more emphasis on those skills demanded by employers. The new English literature GCSE will build on this foundation, and encourage students to read, write and think critically.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4270", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Nash"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Nash"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-07-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "true", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/64615/answer/previousversion/8669", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4270", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Nash"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Nash"}
}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-08T15:42:37.307Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
], "questionFirstMinisteriallyCorrected" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-09T15:07:12.1098723Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Schools: Standards"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Elizabeth Truss MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Education and Childcare, that \"our 15 year-olds are up to three years behind their peers in the top-performing countries in reading and mathematics\", what action they propose to address this.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3254", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Quirk"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Quirk"}
], "uin" : "HL698"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/64617", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/64617/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Independent schools, including independent special schools, are not required to follow the national curriculum, conduct teacher assessment or enter pupils for key stage 2 national curriculum tests. They have never therefore been published in the primary school performance tables. However, they have always been included in the secondary school performance tables.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4270", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Nash"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Nash"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-07-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-08T11:15:53.4374218Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Special Educational Needs"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government why independent special schools were removed from the official published league tables, and whether they will consider restoring them.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4202", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Lexden"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Lexden"}
], "uin" : "HL700"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/63779", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/63779/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Local authorities are responsible for ensuring there are sufficient places available within an area. We have allocated over £5 billion of funding to local authorities in this parliament, leading to the creation of 260,000 new school places by May 2013, with many more in the pipeline. We do, however, hold information on the number of new schools funded through the government's Free School programme, University Technical Colleges and Studio Schools and through other centrally managed programmes:over<\/del> 32 new maths hubs to support a more challenging maths GCSE to improve the quality of maths education. This initiative, which includes a teacher exchange programme with Shanghai, will enable every school and college in England, from early years to the post-16 sector, to access locally-tailored support in all areas of maths teaching and learning.<\/p>
We do not hold a central record of all new schools built by local authorities to provide these places since 2010.
<\/p>
<\/p>