HC Deb 17 March 1993 vol 221 c282W
Mr. Don Foster

To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many individual written responses he has received(a) for and (b) against the selection on ability of pupils at age 11 years for entry to either of the secondary schools in Penrith; and if he will make a statement;

(2) what evidence he has of backing from the governors and the local community for his policy in respect of Queen Elizabeth school, Penrith.

Mr. Forth

The Education Reform Act 1988 makes provision for any 10 or more local government electors, the governing body of any school affected by the proposals and any local education authority to submit objections to my right hon. Friend to proposals such as those published by the governors of Queen Elizabeth grammar school to introduce selective admission arrangements.

My right hon. Friend received 71 written responses to the proposals published by the governors of Queen Elizabeth grammar school. One of these supported the proposals; the remainder were opposed to them. No proposals concerning selection by reference to ability were published in respect of the other secondary school in Penrith.

I understand that there are over 37,000 local government electors in the district of Cumbria largely served by the Penrith schools, of whom less than 3 per cent. submitted objections to the Queen Elizabeth school proposals. Of the 23 primary schools and one secondary school affected by the proposals, the governing bodies of only eight schools submitted objections.

Mr. Don Foster

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what reports he received of the open consultation meeting held at Queen Elizabeth school, Penrith, on 29 April 1992, and of the subsequent consultation meetings with parents, staff and governors of feeder primary schools to Queen Elizabeth school; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Forth

The governors of Queen Elizabeth grammar school submitted to my right hon. Friend two reports on the findings of their consultation exercise conducted prior to the publication of proposals to change the character of the school.