§ Mr. ROWLANDSasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is taking steps to deal with the lack of secondary school accommodation in Bournemouth; and whether he can state the number of free places in the Bournemouth secondary schools for girls required by the Regulations and the number actually provided, the number of paying pupils on the waiting lists for admission, the steps, if any, contemplated by the local 641W education authority to provide additional accommodation, and when the congestion will be relieved?
§ Mr. FISHERThe Board have pressed the authority to provide additional accommodation at both of the municipal secondary schools. The extension of the municipal boys' school was delayed owing to the War, but I understand that steps are now being taken to proceed with it. The Board are in communication with the authority as regards the provision of further accommodation for the municipal girls' school. The other State-aided school at Bournemouth, namely, the Endowed High School for Girls, was slightly enlarged last year, and it does not appear that there is any particular pressure on its accommodation at present. The Municipal School for Girls is required to provide 25 per cent. of free places; the Endowed High School 10 per cent.; and the numbers of girls holding free places on the 1st October, 1918, at these schools were forty-four and forty-five respectively. I have no information with regard to the number of paying pupils on the waiting lists for admission, and regret that I cannot say definitely when the overcrowding will be relieved.