HC Deb 20 December 1988 vol 144 cc199-200W
30. Mr. Favell

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when is the first school term in which he expects schools to be opted out.

Mr. Butcher

I expect the first schools to become grant-maintained in September 1989.

34. Mr. Flannery

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools on the verge of closure have asked for opting out; and how many other schools of the state system of education have also applied.

Mr. Butcher

Schools for which my right hon. Friend has approved closures proposals under section 12 of the Education Act 1980 are not eligible to apply for grant-maintained status. Schools which are currently subject to proposals under that Act may apply for grant-maintained status: in such cases my right hon. Friend will consider both sets of proposals together.

60. Mr. Janman

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what figures he has for the percentages of parents taking part in the ballots to decide whether or not schools should opt out of local authority control.

Mr. Butcher

The results of the four secret postal ballots on grant-maintained status held so far have shown a very high level of interest among the parents concerned. The percentage of parents of registered pupils voting in each ballot has been:

Per cent.
Skegness Grammar School, Lincolnshire: 80
St. James's Church of England School, Farnworth: 83
Audenshaw High School for Boys, Tameside: 86
Wilson's School, Sutton: 76