Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2016 to Question 39593, for what reason more directions were upheld in 2008 than in other years listed.

Local authorities have powers to direct maintained schools to admit pupils. Where a school wishes to appeal such a direction, it may refer the case to the Schools Adjudicator. If the Adjudicator decides that the school should admit the child they can uphold the direction.

Such cases are very rare and may occur for different reasons. We do not hold information centrally on the reasons or circumstances of each case, and we are unable to comment on why more directions were referred to and upheld by the Adjudicator in that particular year.