§ 56. Mr. KINGasked the President of the Board of Education whether the latest published figures show that the Trinity Church of England school, Oswestry, is overcrowded; for what length of time this overcrowding has existed; and whether, to prevent a continuance of this overcrowding, he will notify the school authority that, failing an improvement, the Grant will be reduced?
Mr. PEASEThe accommodation at the school referred to was exceeded by the average attendance for the year 1910–11 as a result of the reassessment on the ten and nine square feet basis. There has been no overcrowding in the school for the last two school years ending February, 1912, and February, 1913.
§ 57. Mr. KINGasked whether Ellesmere Church of England school, girls' department, the Llanymynech Church of England school, the St. Martin's Church of England school, the St. Martin's Ifton Heath Church of England school, and the Weston Rhyn Church of England school, all near Oswestry, in Shropshire, appear in the latest published Returns as overcrowded; whether any attempt has been made to relieve the overcrowding; and whether the Board of Education will insist on the children of this district having such school accommodation as the law provides?
Mr. PEASEPlans for the enlargement of the Ellesmere Church of England school, girls' department, are at present before the Board. The Llanymynech Church of England school is not now overcrowded. Proposals are now before the Board for the enlargement of the St. Martin's Church of England school. Notices of a transfer of the Ifton Heath Church of England school to the local education authority and of its enlargement by seventy-five places have been published under Section 8 of the Education Act, 1902. The Weston Rhyn Church of England school is not at present overcrowded, but the school will be closed as soon as a Council school, of which notice was given in November, 1912, is ready to replace it.
§ 58. Mr. KINGasked whether, according to the last published figures, there are three departments of public elementary schools in Oswestry town that are overcrowded and three in the schools in the Oswestry rural district; whether these figures show that 32 per cent. in Oswestry, urban and rural, are in overcrowded schools; whether the local authority have been warned against this overcrowding; and when the evil will be remedied?
Mr. PEASEThe Measbury undenominational school is the only school in Oswestry town or Oswestry rural district now overcrowded, the overcrowding in this school amounting to twelve units. Notices have been issued by the local education authority under Section 8 of the Act of 1902 of their intention to provide a new school, and an appeal and counter-proposals have been forwarded to the Board.
§ Mr. KINGIs the improvement since the last official figures were given due to the President himself or to the local authority?