HC Deb 20 December 1999 vol 341 c399W
Mr. Gordon Prentice

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list(a) the categories of specialist comprehensives, (b) the number of schools in each category and (c) the number and percentage of successful and unsuccessful applications for specialist school status. [102865]

Ms Estelle Morris

The numbers of specialist schools designated as arts, languages, sports or technology colleges which are deemed comprehensive schools are listed in the table.

Category of specialism Comprehensive Other1
Arts Colleges 29 0
Language Colleges 65 6
Sports Colleges 35 2
Technology Colleges 241 25
1 The 33 other schools comprise 18 selective, 12 secondary modern and three special schools

For competitions held in 1998 and 1999 the number and percentage of successful and unsuccessful applications for specialist designation are set out in the table.

Number Percentage
Successful
March 1998 51 42
October 1998 35 53
March 1999 37 71
June 1999 41 45
Unsuccessful
March 1998 71 58
October 1998 31 47
March 1999 15 29
June 1999 51 55