§ Mr. Moonmanasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a list in the Official Report of secondary schools in Essex, according to their status, such as comprehensive and direct-grant.
§ Mr. Newensasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the secondary schools in Essex which still cannot be regarded as comprehensive or as part of a satisfactory comprehensive system.
§ Miss Joan LestorThere are 117 secondary schools maintained by the Essex education authority of which 12 are grammar schools, two are technical high schools, two are bilateral schools, 21 are modern schools and 80 are comprehensive schools. I will send a complete list to my hon. Friends. There are also two direct-grant schools: Brentwood School and Ursuline Convent School.
§ Mr. Moonmanasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what communications he has had from Essex County Council regarding the implementation of comprehensive education.
§ Mr. Delargyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what correspondence has passed between him and the Essex County Council about comprehensive education.
§ Mr. Newensasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the present position adopted by the Essex County Council on the implementation of plans to provide a fully comprehensive system of education at the secondary stage in the county.
§ Miss Joan LestorIn response to Circular 4/74 the Essex education authority stated its intention to proceed with comprehensive reorganisation already planned; to consider possible patterns of reorganisation of schools in Southend; and to review in 1978 the position of the remaining grammar schools in the county. Following a meeting with my right hon. Friend's predecessor on 15th May and a letter from him on 22nd May, the Chairman of the Education Committee wrote492W to my right hon. Friend on 21st June reaffirming the authority's position.
§ Mr. Moonmanasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of schoolchildren in Essex is receiving comprehensive education.
§ Miss Joan LestorIn September 1975 approximately 79 per cent. of all pupils at secondary schools maintained by the Essex education authority were attending comprehensive schools.
§ Mr. Moonmanasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received to defer comprehensive education in the county of Essex; and whether special technical or operational problems for the area have been included as reasons for such deferment.
§ Miss Joan LestorIn response to Circular 4/74 the Essex Authority stated that, in the area of the old county, it intended to reorganise all secondary schools except two grammar schools in Colchester, two in Chelmsford and one in Chigwell. It proposed to review the position of these five schools in 1978 in the light of the progress made and the resources then available. The authority has given no specific local reasons for this delay. In 1974 the authority submitted proposals for schools in the Chigwell area which envisaged the retention of Davenant Grammar School. These were subsequently withdrawn. The proposals depended heavily on off-programme building, and the authority is now considering alternative proposals which take into account the changed economic circumstances.
§ Mr. Newensasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils, if any, living inside the catchment areas of fully comprehensive schools in Essex took places at secondary modern schools or schools which are neither selective nor fully comprehensive outside these catchment areas at the commencement of the current school year.
§ Miss Joan LestorI regret that this information is not available, and could not be obtained except at disproportionate expense.
493W
§ Mr. Newensasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils living outside the catchment areas of the Harlow comprehensive schools are currently attending those schools.
§ Miss Joan LestorThe total number of pupils living outside the catchment areas of the Harlow comprehensive schools and who currently attend these schools is 280.
§ Mr. Stanley Newensasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy on the provision of a fully comprehensive system of education at the secondary level in the county of Essex.
§ Miss Joan LestorThe Government's policy for a fully comprehensive system of secondary education was set out in Circular 4/74. I should like to see that policy implemented in all areas of the country, including Essex.