e refused a place because of having challenging behaviour. Under the Code, previously looked-after children are those who were looked after by a local authority in England and leave care due to an adoption, special guardianship or child arrangements order. This does not include previously looked-after children from Wales and children adopted from ‘state care’ outside England. Outside the normal admissions round, local authorities may direct the admission authorities of any maintained school (other than a school for which they are the admission authority) to admit a looked-after child to the school best suited to their needs. Such action must be taken in the best interests of the child. Before giving a direction, the local authority must consult the admission authority for the school they propose to specify in the direction. The admission authority then has seven days to inform the local authority if it is willing to admit the child without being directed to do so. If, following the consultation, the local authority decides to issue the direction, it must first inform the admission authority, the governing body (if the governing body is not the admission authority), the head teacher and, if the school is in another local authority area, the maintaining local authority. If the admission authority (or the governing body if it is not the admission authority, and only in relation to a looked-after child who has previously been excluded from at least two schools) considers that admission of the child would seriously prejudice the provision of efficient education or efficient use of resources, the admission authority has seven days in which to refer the case to the Schools Adjudicator. The Adjudicator may either uphold the direction or, if the local authority that looks after 