Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the criterion used by the Secretary of State to revoke an Academy Order under section 5D of the Academies Act 2010; which schools have had an Academy Order revoked; and in each case, what were the reasons for the Academy Order being revoked.

The department’s statutory ‘Schools causing concern’ guidance (attached) makes clear that the Secretary of State’s power to revoke an academy order will only be used in very exceptional circumstances – for example, where the maintained school is not viable and therefore it is most appropriate for it to close. Details of the 29 schools which have had an academy revoked and the reasons for revocation are set out in the attached table.