HC Deb 08 February 1968 vol 758 cc628-9
9. Mr. Wall

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the reorganisasation of secondary education in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Miss Bacon

My right hon. Friend's predecessor accepted in principle last June the East Riding authority's plan for the reorganisation of secondary education, subject to further consideration of alternative proposals for the Beverley area put forward by the governors of the Beverley Grammar School. We have carefully considered the governors' case but are satisfied that the authority's proposals are to be preferred on educational grounds.

Mr. Wall

Is the Minister aware that the future catchment area of Beverley Grammar School has been reduced on no fewer than three occasions during the last two years, that during the same period the L.E.A. refused to meet the governors, and that the imposition of a 100 per cent. comprehensive system without the alternative of a sixth form college is causing great concern?

Miss Bacon

As I understand it, there were two proposals—one for the 11 to 18 comprehensive school, and the other for a sixth form college at Beverley. Both were supported by numbers of people and we decided that the local education officer's proposals for the 11 to 18 school were to be preferred, mainly on the grounds that there were not sufficient children in that catchment area to support an adequate sixth form college.