Updated: Document updated to reflect that the Targeted Basic Need programme has now ended.
This departmental advice is for:
- local authorities
- new school proposers
It relates to:
- academies
- free schools
It describes the process for establishing new schools under the academy/free school presumption.
The Education Act 2011 changed the arrangements for establishing new schools and introduced section 6A (the academy/free school presumption) - where a local authority thinks there is a need for a new school in its area it must seek proposals to establish an academy/free school.