Social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) school in Lancaster, information for academy sponsors

  1. Overview
  2. Introduction
  3. Background
  4. Current arrangements
  5. Location
  6. Establishing new schools
  1. Specifications
  2. Funding arrangements
  3. Application process
  4. Proposed timeline
  5. Assessment criteria
  6. Delivering excellence in education

6. Establishing new schools

The Education Act 2011 changed the arrangements for establishing new schools and introduced Section 6A, now known as the ‘Free School Presumption’ to the Education and Inspections Act 2006.

The legislation requires that where the county council considers there is a need for a new school in its area, it must seek proposals from suitably qualified organisations to establish the new school as a Free School.

Potential academy sponsors who are not already known to the DfE and included on their approved register are advised to contact the DfE at the earliest opportunity to find out more about the approval process, and certainly before submitting a formal application to the county council.

For more information please see the free school presumption guidance on GOV.UK.

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