What you’llyou need to do

ThisRefer sectionto explainsthe which School partsland oftransactions: the guidance (PDF, you’ll469 needKB, 72 pages) to readhelp andyou understand how to make an application or notify the Secretary of State.

School land transactions: guidance (PDF, 469 KB, 72 pages)

1. UsePart part 1 toexplains find out whether you need to involve the Secretary of State.

2. UsePart part 2 toexplains find out about the assessment criteria used for different types of land transactions and the specific information and evidence required to be provided with your application.

3. UsePart part 3 toexplains find out about playing field land, including what is classified as playing field land, how to provide your playing field statistics and information about the role of the playing field panel.

4. UsePart part 4 toexplains read about which land transactions are covered by the General Consent Orders (GCOs)(GCOs).

5. UsePart part 5 toexplains find out how to submit your application for consent or notify the Secretary of State.

6. UsePart part 6 toconcerns read about academy conversions, statutory transfers for voluntary and foundation schools, transfers of land from one academy trust to another academy trust and orders made under section 554 of the Education Act 1996.

Apply for school land transactions

Use the following forms to make your land transaction application.

• Form A - Disposals of non-playing field land
• Form B - Disposals of or including playing field land
• Form C - Disposals of non-playing field land at operating schools which require notification under Schedule 22 only (MS Word Document, 137 KB)
• Form D - Granting an easement of playing field or non-playing field land (MS Word Document, 140 KB)
• Form E - Granting a lease or disposing of land for solar panels (MS Word Document, 150 KB)
• Form F - Granting a telecommunications lease (MS Word Document, 103 KB)
• Form G - Applications to enter into joint use agreements (MS Word Document, 143 KB)
• Form H - Change of use of playing field land (MS Word Document, 146 KB)
• Form I - Change of use of school land for non-educational purposes (MS Word Document, 141 KB)
• Form J - Acquisitions
• Form K - Any other application under an academy trust's funding agreement (MS Word Document, 138 KB)
• Form L - Appropriation of school land by a local authority (MS Word Document, 91.1 KB)
• Form M - Academy land transfers (MS Word Document, 84532 KB)
• Form N - Disposal of school land for a school-based nursery (MS Word Document, 57.3 KB)

Nurseries

Following the department’sSeptember announcement2025 about launch of phase 2 of the Department for Education’s school-based nursery programme, which provides funding for schools to create nurseries in existing primary school premises and, and updates to guidance on establishing school-based nursery provision, a consent process for land transactions relating to nurseries and childcare is now available.

There is a General Consent OrderOrders (GCOGCOs) and notification formforms are applicable to:

• local authorities
• governing bodies of maintained schools and foundation bodies
• the trustees of a foundation, voluntary,voluntary or foundation special schoolsschool for specific nursery related land transactions

There is also a short application form for nursery and childcare related land transactions where the GCO does not apply.

General Consent Orders (GCO)

The Secretary of State has agreed that some types of disposal fall within the type where they would routinely expect to grant consent.consent Accordingly,for theysome havetypes agreedof disposal. Accordingly, the following General Consent Orders (GCOs) that provide a blanket consent in these cases.

Main GCOs

You must complete a notification form if the following GCOs apply to you:

• General Consent Order (GCO): The School LandPlaying Fields General Disposal and Change of Use (Childcare) Class Consent 2024(No 7) 2023 (PDF, 150145 KB, 36 pages)
• General Consent Order (GCO): The School LandPlaying Fields General Disposal and Change of Use (Childcare) Class Consent 2024(No 7) 2023 - notification form (MS Word Document, 62.9554 KB)
• General Consent Order (GCO): The SchoolAcademies Playing Fields General Disposal and ChangeAppropriation of Use Class Consent (No 7)4) 2023 (PDF, 145166 KB, 65 pages)
• General Consent Order (GCO): The Academies General Disposal and Appropriation Class Consent (No 4) 2023 - notification form (PDF,MS 166Word KBDocument, 5562 pagesKB)
• The School Land General ConsentDisposal Orderand (GCO):Change Temporaryof schoolUse land(Childcare) andClass playingConsent fields2024 (PDF, 161150 KB, 63 pages)
• GeneralThe ConsentSchool OrderLand (GCO):General Disposal and Change of schoolUse playing(Childcare) fieldsClass byConsent restriction2024 - notification form (PDF,MS 90.1Word KBDocument, 262.9 pagesKB)

Other GCOs

You do not need to complete a notification form for the following GCOs:

• General Consent Order (GCO)(GCO): SectionTemporary 77school Schoolland Standards and Frameworksplaying Act 1998 - notification formfields (MSPDF, Word161 DocumentKB, 87.96 KBpages)
• General Consent Order (GCO): ScheduleDisposal 1of Academiesschool Actplaying 2010fields -by notification formrestriction (MSPDF, Word90.1 DocumentKB, 97.22 KBpages)

Contact

Email land.transactions@education.gov.uk if you have any questions about:

• land transactions
• the main guidance
• the forms
• GCOs

Decisions

A onlist the disposal of schoolplaying field land

A summarydisposals ofconsidered decisionsby about the disposalSchool ofPlaying schoolFields landAdvisory sincePanel May 2010 is available.