HC Deb 17 July 2002 vol 389 c363W
Mr. Brady

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list(a) the new specialist schools announced on 4 July, (b) the schools short-listed but not successful and (c) the schools which applied but were not short-listed; and, in each case, (i) what specialism was applied for, (ii) what the category of school is, (iii) whether the school is (A) selective and (B) a non-selective school in an area with selective education and (vi) what other departmental awards have been won by the school in the last five years. [67631]

Mr. Miliband

[holding answer 8 July 2002]The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

Ms Walley

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will review the funding formula for specialist schools in respect of the threshold of 1,200 pupils; and if she will extend the funding so that every child attracts the same funding. [70613]

Mr. Miliband

There are no plans to increase specialist school recurrent grant to include funding for pupil numbers from 1,001 to 1,200.

Brian White

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the impact on school transport and traffic congestion of the proposed increases in specialist secondary schools. [69543]

Mr. Miliband

No assessment of school transport or traffic congestion has been made in relation to the proposed expansion of the Specialist Schools Programme.

Mr. Chaytor

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance she has issued to specialist schools in respect of the processes and criteria to be(a) adopted and (b) avoided in the selection of pupils by aptitude; and what measures she has put in place to evaluate these selection processes. [68174]

Mr. Miliband

The flexibility for admission authorities to give priority to some pupils on the basis of aptitude is not restricted to schools in the Specialist Schools Programme, but does require the school to have a particular expertise or facility. The Code of Practice on school admissions provides guidance on what is and is not permitted under Section 102 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 where the admission authority of a school with a specialism wishes to give priority to up to 10 per cent. of pupils who can demonstrate an aptitude for one of the prescribed subjects. The arrangements made are subject to local challenge and there has been no central evaluation of the processes.