Colonel CHAPMANasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education on what date was the approval of the Board given for the erection of new schools on the road between Curley Crooks and Boldon colliery, county Durham; what was the approved cost, the contract price, the name of the contractor, the date upon which the work was commenced, the amount expended to date, and when is it estimated the schools will be completed and occupied; what is the accommodation of the new schools; from what areas are the children to be drawn; what is the elementary school population in the areas; what schools at present exist and their accommodation; and what schools, if any, are to be closed when the new schools are completed and occupied?
§ Mr. RAMSBOTHAM:Plans for the erection of a new school for 520 children on the site named were approved on 18th August, 1929. Owing to the growth of the local population and in order to facilitate a reorganisation which would group in the new school the senior children from the provided elementary schools in the area, fresh plans for a school of 720 children were approved in June, 1931. The authority were, however, asked to reconsider the proposal in view of the financial crisis in September, 1931, and revised plans for a school to accommodate 640 children were approved on lath November, 1931. The estimated cost of the school as originally planned was £17,000, and the lowest tender, under a direct labour scheme, was £15,981. The cost of the revised lay-out, finally approved in November, 1931, was £29,430, based upon the schedule rates of the original direct labour scheme tender. The work was commenced in January, 1931; a sum of £26,416 has been expended up to date, and it is anticipated that the school will be completed and occupied by the end of April, 1933. The accommo- 1363W dation of the school is 640, 320 senior boys and 320 senior girls, drawn from Whiteleas, East Boldon, Boldon Colliery and Boldon. The elementary school
— Accommodation. Mixed. Boys. Girls. Infants. Boldon Colliery Council … … — 550 500 332 East Boldou Council … … 228 — — 126 Boldon Whiteleas Council … … 204 — — 48 Boldon Church of England … … 160 — — 40 The boys' department of the Boldon Colliery school is on the Board's black list. As the new school is intended primarily to meet the growth of population and avoid overcrowding, it is not anticipated that any of these schools are to be closed when the new school is completed and occupied, but the opportunity will be taken to reassess the accommodation in accordance with modern standards, and the provision of the new school will enable the senior children to be concentrated in sufficient numbers to have suitable alternative courses of instruction for the last three years of their school life and adequate provision for practical instruction in the case of both boys and girls.