Commentary on Sections Academy orders Section 56: Academies: consultation on conversion
280.Section 56 replaces section 5 of AA 2010 with a new section 5. The original section 5 provides that before a maintained school can convert into an Academy, its governing body must consult those they think appropriate on the question of whether the school should convert into an Academy. The consultation may take place before or after the application, or before or after an Academy order is made, but must take place before the Academy arrangements are entered into.
281.The new section 5 inserted by section 56 provides that, in the case of a school eligible for intervention (within the meaning in Part 4 of EIA 2006) either the school’s governing body or the person with whom the Secretary of State proposes to enter into Academy arrangements can carry out the consultation. In the case of a federated school the consultation can be carried out by any one or more members of the governing body.