Office of Public Sector Information

[F1(2A)In subsection (2) above, references to attending school are to so attending not only where the school is in Scotland, but also where it is in England and Wales or in Northern Ireland (“school education” being construed accordingly).]

(3)The Secretary of State may make regulations providing that the powers conferred on an education authority by subsections (1) and (2) above—

(a)shall be exercised in accordance with such provisions as may be prescribed by or under the regulations; and

(b)shall not be exercised in relation to a person who does not fulfil such requirements as to residence in the area of the authority, or as to other matters, as may be specified in the regulations;

and regulations made under this subsection may contain provision for the determination by the Secretary of State of any question whether any such requirements are fulfilled in any particular case.

50 Education of pupils in exceptional circumstances

(1)Where in the opinion of an education authority—

(a)any pupil is, owing to the remoteness of his home or the conditions under which he is living or other exceptional circumstances, unable to receive the full benefit of school education unless special arrangements are made for him, or

(b)school education suitable to the age, ability and aptitude of any pupil can best be provided for him at any particular school, F1

(c). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2

the authority [F3, in a case where subsection (3) applies, may and, in any other case, subject to subsection (4) below,] shall, after consultation with the parent F4, make such arrangements of either a temporary or a permanent character as they think best suited to the purpose of enabling that pupil to attend [F5, in any case falling under—

(i)paragraph (a) of this subsection, an appropriate school; and

(ii)paragraph (b) thereof, the particular school.]

[F6(1A)In subsection (1) above, references to an appropriate school and to a particular school are references not only to schools in Scotland but also to schools in England and Wales or in Northern Ireland (“school education” being construed accordingly).]

(2)The arrangements made under subsection (1) above may include—

(a)the provision of travelling facilities or the payment of travelling expenses under [F7subsection (1) of section 51 of this Act (for the purposes of this paragraph, any reference in that section to a school being construed as a reference not only to a school in Scotland but also to a school in England and Wales or in Northern Ireland)]; or

(b)the accommodation of the pupil at a boarding school F4 or in a hostel, home or other institution; or

(c)other provision of board and lodging, provided that the education authority shall, so far as practicable, give effect to the wishes of the parent with respect to the religious denomination of the person with whom the pupil will reside; or

(d)provision for the travelling, board and lodging of teachers.

[F8(3)This subsection applies where—

(a)the education authority have, in accordance with [F9— (i)]their arrangements as published or otherwise made available under section 28B(1)(a) of this Act

[ F10(ii)any arrangements made by them under section 23(1A) of this Act; or

(iii)the arrangements subsisting before the establishment of new local government areas under Part I of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 and continuing by virtue of section 23(1C) of this Act], proposed to place the pupil in a particular school or in one of a number of schools named by them and have, in connection with that proposal, made or offered to make for the pupil suitable arrangements of the kind referred to in subsection (2) above; but

(b)in consequence of a placing request, the pupil has been placed by them [F11or another education authority]in a school other than a school referred to in paragraph (a) above.

(4)The duty imposed by subsection (1)(a) or (b) above does not apply where the pupil belongs (in accordance with section 23(3) of this Act) to the area of some other education authority or of a local education authority in England and Wales.]

51 Provision of transport and other facilities

(1)An education authority [F1, in a case to which subsection (2A) [F2or (2AB)] below applies, may and, in any other case, subject to subsection (2B) below] shall make such arrangements as they consider necessary for the provision of any of the following facilities in respect of pupils attending schools or other educational establishments—

(a)for their conveyance without charge for the whole or part of the journey between their homes and the schools or other educational establishments which they are attending;

(b)for making bicycles or other suitable means of transport available to the pupils, or to their parents for the use of the pupils, upon such terms and conditions as may be arranged, or for paying money allowances in lieu thereof;

(c)for paying the whole or any part, as the authority think fit, of their reasonable travelling expenses,

and any such arrangement may in respect of any pupil make provision for more than one of the facilities specified in the foregoing paragraphs of this subsection.

(2)Where the requirements of pupils, for the conveyance of whom arrangements have been made by an education authority under subsection (1)(a) above, have been met, it shall be the duty of that authority, where there are any vacant places in any vehicle used for such conveyance, to allow such vacant places to be used without charge by other pupils to be selected by the authority.

[F3(2A)This subsection applies where—

(a)the education authority have, in accordance with [F4—

(i)]their arrangements as published or otherwise made available under section 28B(1)(a) of this Act

[ F5(ii)any arrangements made by them under section 23(1A) of this Act; or

(iii)the arrangements subsisting before the establishment of new local government areas under Part I of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 and continuing by virtue of section 23(1C) of this Act], proposed to place the pupil in a particular school or in one of a number of schools named by them and, where the particular or named school is more than walking distance from the pupil’s home measured by the nearest available route, they have offered to make for him suitable arrangements of the kind referred to in subsection (1) above under which he would not require to walk more than walking distance, so measured, in the course of any journey between his home and the school; but

(b)in consequence of a placing request, the pupil has been placed by them [F6or another education authority] in a school other than a school referred to in paragraph (a) above.

In this subsection “walking distance” has the same meaning as in section 42 of this Act.

[F7(2AB)This subsection applies—

(a)where the pupil is in attendance at a self-governing school but lives outwith an area for the time being specified in relation to that school by the Secretary of State by order under this subsection; or

(b)where the pupil lives within that area and either—

(i)his parent has not applied to the board of management, under paragraph 2(1) of Schedule 2 to the Self-Governing Schools etc. (Scotland) Act 1989, for the pupil’s admission to the school; or

(ii)his parent has so applied and they are prepared to admit the pupil, but the pupil is not in such attendance;

and paragraph 8 of the said Schedule 2 shall apply in relation to references in this subsection as that paragraph applies to references in paragraphs 2 to 7 of that Schedule.

(2AC)An order under subsection (2AB) above may be revoked, and a new area specified in relation to the school, by a further order under that subsection; but before making any such order, or further order, the Secretary of State shall consult the board of management of the school and the education authority within whose area the school is situated.]

[ F8(2AD)Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) above, the duty imposed by that subsection applies in cases where a pupil attends a school or educational establishment under the management of another education authority—

(a)in accordance with any arrangements made by them under section 23(1A) of this Act;

(b)in accordance with the arrangements subsisting before the establishment of new local government areas under Part I of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 and continuing by virtue of section 23(1C) of this Act; or

(c)if at the time when the pupil was placed in that school or educational establishment it was under the management of the education authority for the area to which the pupil belonged, and is under the management of another education authority as a consequence of the establishment of such new local government areas.]

(2B)The duty imposed by subsection (1) above does not apply where the pupil belongs (in accordance with section 23(3) of this Act) to the area of some other education authority or of a local education authority in England and Wales.]

[ F9(2C)In considering whether to make any arrangements under subsection (1) above in respect of pupils attending schools, an education authority shall have regard to the safety of such pupils.]

(3)Where as a condition of admission to any educational institution a person is required to attend for examination or interview at a particular place, the education authority may pay the whole or part of the expenses necessarily incurred by that person in respect of such attendance.

[F10(4)In this section “school” does not include a nursery school or a nursery class in a school.]

52 Recovery of cost of board and lodging

—Where an education authority have provided a pupil with board and lodging, whether at a school, F1 hostel or elsewhere, the authority may, in their discretion, require the parent to pay to them in respect thereof such sums if any not exceeding the cost of such board and lodging as in the opinion of the authority he is able without financial hardship to pay:

(i)where the board and lodging provided for any pupil were so provided under arrangements made by the authority for any of the reasons specified in section 50(1) of this Act, no sum shall be recoverable in respect thereof under this section; and

(ii)where the board and lodging have been so provided for a young person F1 under section 13 of this Act, at [F2an] educational establishment, the authority, if satisfied that he is in a financial position to pay the whole or any part of a sum recoverable from his parent under this section, may recover that sum or that part thereof from the young person instead of from the parent.

Provision of food and clothing

53 Provision of school meals

(1)An education authority—

(a)may provide milk, meals or other refreshment for pupils in attendance at public schools and other educational establishments under their management [F1and may do so either on the premises or at any place other than the school premises where education is being provided]; and

(b)shall provide such facilities as the authority consider appropriate for the consumption of any meals or other refreshment brought to the school or other educational establishment by such pupils.

[F2(2)Subject to subsection (3) below, an authority must charge for anything provided by them under subsection (1)(a) above and must charge every pupil the same price for the same quantity of the same item.

[F3(3)Subsection (3AA) below applies in relation to a pupil—

(a)whose parents are in receipt of—

(i)income support;

(ii)an income-based jobseeker’s allowance (payable under the M1Jobseekers Act 1995); or

(iii)support provided under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; or

(b)who is himself in receipt of income support or an income-based jobseeker’s allowance.

(3AA)An]authority shall so exercise the power conferred by subsection (1)(a) above as to ensure that such provision is made for [F4the pupil] in the middle of the day as appears to the authority to be requisite and shall make that provision for him free of charge. ]

[F5(3A)[F6Subsections (1) to (3AA)] above apply in relation to pupils in attendance at a self-governing school and the board of management of that school as they apply in relation to pupils in attendance at a public school and the education authority under whose management the public school is.]

(4)For the purposes of this section, a pupil for whom an education authority have made special arrangements under section 14 of this Act may, at the discretion of the authority, be deemed to be in attendance at a public school under their management.

54 Provision of clothing for pupils at public schools

(1)When it is brought to the notice of an education authority that a pupil attending a school under their management [F1, or a self-governing school,] is unable by reason of the inadequacy or unsuitability of his clothing to take full advantage of the education provided, the education authority shall make such provision for the pupil for the purpose of ensuring that he is sufficiently and suitably clad as they may deem necessary during such period while the pupil is attending school (including days when the school does not meet) as they may determine.

(2)Where an education authority make provision for a pupil in pursuance of this section, they shall be entitled to recover from the parent of the pupil the expense thereby incurred or, if the authority are satisfied that the parent is unable without financial hardship to pay the whole of that expense, such part thereof, if any, as he is, in the opinion of the authority, able without financial hardship to pay.

(3)Without prejudice to any powers conferred upon them by subsections (1) and (2) above, an education authority may provide clothing free of charge—

(i)for any pupil who is a boarder at a school, or

(ii)for any pupil in attendance at a nursery school or a nursery class,

under the management of the authority [F2; or for any pupil who is a boarder at a self-governing school].

(4)For the purposes of this section—

(a)a pupil on attaining the age of five years shall, pending his admission to school, be deemed to be attending a school under the management of the education authority in whose area he is ordinarily resident; and

(b)[F3a recorded child or recorded young person in respect of whom an education authority are, under section 62(3) of this Act, under a duty] shall be deemed to be attending a school under the management of that authority.

55 Provision of food and clothing for pupils at schools other than public schools

An education authority may, with the consent of the managers of any school in their area which is not a public school, and upon such financial and other terms, if any, as may be determined by agreement between the authority and the managers, make arrangements for securing—

(a)the provision of milk, meals and other refreshment for pupils in attendance at the school; and

(b)[F1except in relation to a school which is a self-governing school,] the provision, for any pupil in attendance at the school who is unable by reason of the inadequacy or unsuitability of his clothing to take full advantage of the education (including physical exercise) provided by the school, of such clothing as is necessary for the purpose of ensuring that he is sufficiently and suitably clad while he remains a pupil at the school.

56 Condition of provision of clothing by education authorities

Save as may be otherwise prescribed, provision of clothing by an education authority under any of the powers conferred by this Act may be made in such a way as to confer, at the option of the authority, either a right of property in the clothing or a right to use it only.

Health and cleanliness of pupils

57 Medical and dental examination and inspection

(1)The Secretary of State may make regulations as to the conduct of medical and dental examinations and medical and dental inspections for the purposes of the performance of his duties under section 39 of the M1National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978.

[F1(2)For the purpose of securing the proper medical or dental inspection of the pupils and young persons for whom there is a duty under the said section 39 to provide such inspection, an education authority may require the parent of any pupil in attendance at any school under their management to submit the pupil for medical or dental inspection in accordance with arrangements made by the appropriate Health Board in agreement with the authority; and the authority may require any young person in attendance at any educational establishment under their management to submit for such medical or dental inspection.]

(3)If any [F2parent] fails without reasonable excuse to comply with a requirement made by an education authority [F3or board of management] under subsection (2) above, he shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction by a court of summary jurisdiction to a fine not exceeding [F4£10][F4level 1 on the standard scale].

(4)In this section “the appropriate Health Board”, in relation to any pupil or young person, means the Health Board in whose area is situated the school, F5 or other educational establishment at which the pupil or young person is in attendance.