§ Dr. Boysonasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what guidance has been given to the local education authorities by the Department and Her Majesty's inspectors regarding size of secondary schools, particularly bearing in mind that in September a school of 4,500 opens on one campus site in Milton Keynes.
§ Mr. ArmstrongCircular 4/74 which deals with the organisation of secondary education says that there is no ideal size518W for a comprehensive school, and that experience has shown that some large schools work well but equally some authorities, teachers and parents prefer small schools. In Milton Keynes the first phase of a school for 1,500 pupils which was approved in October 1970 is due to open at Stantonbury campus in September; the Buckinghamshire authority received approval for a second similar school in 1973 and is expected to propose a third in due course. The schools will be separate entities although they will, with other sectors of the community, share the use of the resource and leisure centre being provided on the campus.