§ Mr. ORMSBY-GOREasked the President of the Board of Education whether it has been decided to provide a secondary school for boys at Oswestry, where there is already an ancient grammar school; whether he will take steps to prevent the commencement of any such secondary school pending a possible agreement as regards fees and curriculum between the managers of the grammar school on the one hand and the Board of Education and the local education authority on the other; and whether he will receive representations from the grammar school authorities with regard to the matter?
§ Mr. TREVELYANWith regard to the first part of the question, the local education authority have declared their intention of providing a secondary school for boys, and it is understood that they have already taken some steps towards making this provision. With regard to the second part of the question, the Board have been endeavouring during the past two years to persuade the governors of the grammar school to make such arrangements as would obviate the necessity for further provision for boys in Oswestry, but without success. With regard to the third part of the question, the Board in December, 1909, invited the governors to confer with their representatives, but the governors have so far failed to take advantage of this offer. It is, however, still open to the governors to approach the Board on the subject. I cannot say without inquiry precisely what stage the preparations of the local education authority for the provision of a secondary school for 598 boys have reached, but if the governors take the step now suggested promptly it may still be possible to effect an arrangement, which has always been desired by the Board and the local education authority, whereby the grammar school would supply all the needs of secondary education for boys as is the case with similar ancient foundations in the same county.