When community schools convert to academies, the freehold is retained by the local authority and a lease is granted to the academy trust.<\/p>
There are strict rules protecting publicly funded land used by academies, regardless of who holds the freehold. This is set out in published guidance, which is available at:<\/p>
www.gov.uk/government/publications/protection-of-school-playing-fields-and-public-land-advice<\/a><\/p> A copy of the guidance has been placed in the House Library.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1605", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Timpson"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Crewe and Nantwich"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Edward Timpson"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-03-31", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-03-31T12:00:00.00Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-03-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, who owns the freehold of schools which have converted to academies; and what restrictions there are on the use of such freeholds.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4061", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Bill Esterson"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sefton Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Bill Esterson"}
], "uin" : "193219"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/45659", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/45659/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Ofsted already inspects academy chains through batched inspections of schools within chains. It has recently undertaken focused inspections of academies within the E-ACT multi-academy trust and has previously inspected a group of academies within the AET chain. This has shown to be an effective approach and there are no plans to widen Ofsted's role to inspect head offices.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1605", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Timpson"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Crewe and Nantwich"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Edward Timpson"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-04-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-04-07T12:00:00.00Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-03-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he plans to allow Ofsted to inspect bodies which run chains of academy schools.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4061", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Bill Esterson"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sefton Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Bill Esterson"}
], "uin" : "194163"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/48088", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/48088/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Chief Inspector has powers to carry out an inspection of the performance of a particular local authority function as set out in Section 136(1)(b) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006. Specifically, he can use this power to inspect how well the local authority is fulfilling its general duty to promote high standards and fulfilment by every child of their educational potential as set out in Section 13A of the Education Act 1996.<\/p> <\/p> These powers are separate from his powers and duties in relation to the inspection of individual schools which are set out in Section 5 and Section 8 of the Education Act 2005. Section 5 requires Her Majesty's Chief Inspector to inspect individual schools at prescribed intervals, and Section 8 Education Act 2005, contains a general power which enables the Chief Inspector to call for the inspection of a school in circumstances where he is not required to inspect.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1473", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr David Laws"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Yeovil"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr David Laws"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-04-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-04-28T12:00:00.00Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-04-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reasons local authorities are inspected by Ofsted separately from schools maintained by local authorities.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4061", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Bill Esterson"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sefton Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Bill Esterson"}
], "uin" : "196164"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/48089", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/48089/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Ofsted already inspects academy chains through batched inspections of schools within chains. It has recently undertaken focused inspections of academies within E-ACT multi-academy trust, and has previously inspected a group of academies within the AET chain. This has shown to be an effective approach and there are no plans to widen Ofsted's legal powers to include the inspection of head offices.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1605", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Timpson"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Crewe and Nantwich"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Edward Timpson"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-04-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-04-28T12:00:00.00Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-04-09", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 7 April 2014, Official Report, column 81W, on academies, for what reason bodies which run academy chains are not inspected by Ofsted separately from the individual schools run by the academy chains.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4061", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Bill Esterson"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sefton Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Bill Esterson"}
], "uin" : "196165"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/49297", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/49297/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Ofsted can inspect local authorities to see whether they are fulfilling a number of statutory duties. Academy head offices do not have the same statutory duties. However, Ofsted already inspects academy chains through batched inspections. It has recently undertaken focused inspections of academies within E-ACT multi-academy trust, and has previously inspected a group of academies within the AET chain.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1473", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr David Laws"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Yeovil"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr David Laws"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-05-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-05-13T12:00:00.00Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-04-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answers of 29 April 2014, Official Report, columns 559-60W and column 560W, on schools: inspections, for what reason local authorities are inspected separately from schools maintained by local authorities but academies are not inspected separately from the head offices of academy chains.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4061", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Bill Esterson"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sefton Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Bill Esterson"}
], "uin" : "197382"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/58388", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/58388/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " In 2013, the percentage of pupils in converter academies that achieved level 4 or above in reading, writing (teacher assessment) and mathematics was 81%.[1] This was an improvement of one percentage point from 2012, and compares with 76% of pupils that achieved the same threshold in local authority maintained mainstream schools. Furthermore, the percentage of pupils in converter academies that exceeded this threshold was 25%, compared with 21% in local authority maintained mainstream schools.<\/p>