Commentary on Sections Part 2 - Standards Section 4 – Power to intervene
10.This section sets out the circumstances where the powers to intervene in a maintained school may be exercised by a local authority.  The powers of intervention are in sections 5 to 9.
11.Where a local authority is satisfied that one or more of grounds 1 to 6 exist, and it has complied with the warning notice procedure set out in section 3, then it may exercise its powers of intervention.  However, if a local authority believes that one or more of grounds 1 to 6 exist and also believes there is a related risk to health and safety of any person that calls for urgent action then it does not have to comply with the warning notice procedure before exercising its powers of intervention.
12.In addition, the local authority may exercise its powers of intervention if it is satisfied that grounds 7 or 8 exist (schools found by an inspection to require significant improvement or to be in need of special measures).  In this case the local authority does not have to issue a warning notice.