§ Mr. JenkinTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many appeals he has heard concerning pupil admissions to(a) GM primary schools; and (b) non-GM primary schools; and, in each case, how many time she has ruled that schools should accept additional pupils in classes in excess of 29 pupils. [19491]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisSchool admission appeals are heard by statutory independent appeal committees. The Secretary of State does, however, have a duty to consider any referral from a school directed under section 431 of the Education Act 1996 to accept a pupil. Since 1 May, he has only considered two primary school referrals, both from the same GM school. In each case the directions were issued by Essex LEA and resulted in a decision by the Secretary of State that the school should admit the pupil to a class in excess of 29.