HC Deb 25 May 1978 vol 950 cc637-45W
Mr. Christopher Price

asked the Sectary of State for Education and Science if she will list in the Official Report the non-maintained schools in individual local authorities which provide places paid for by local authorities; and what is the total cost in each authority of day and boarding places in non-maintained schools.

Miss Margaret Jackson

Local education authorities have not had to report to my right hon. Friend details of places they are currently paying for in non-maintained schools. Information on the planned expenditure of local education authorities on education in non-maintained schools is published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. Its education estimates statistics for 1978–79 are not yet available, but those for 1977–78 and earlier years are in the Library. The CIPFA statistics show that the total estimates for expenditure by local education authorities in England and Wales on agency services in respect of direct grant and independent schools and assistance to pupils at such schools were £38.3 million in 1976–77 and £39.4 million in 1977–78, excluding expenditure on special education.

Mr. Christopher Price

asked the Sectary of State for Education and Science (1) if she will list in the Official Report those local authorities for which new arrangements have been approved and rejected, respectively, for places at non-maintained schools, the schools in respect of which such arrangements have been approved, and the numbers of day and boarding places, respectively, approved in accordance with circular 12/76;

(2) if she will list in the Official Report the local education authorities which have submitted for her approval arrangements for places at non-maintained schools, the independent schools in respect of which arrangements have been requested, and the numbers of day and boarding places, respectively, requested, in accordance with the terms of circular 12/76;

(3) if she will list in the Official Report the criteria under which she is prepared to sanction expenditure by local education authorities on places for pupils in independent schools which continue to practice selection, and the schools in respect of which she has so far allowed such arrangements to be made.

Miss Margaret Jackson

The criteria under which my right hon. Friend has generally been prepared to approve proposals by local education authorities to support pupils at non-maintained schools were set out in my Department's circular 6/77, and I am sending my hon. Friend a copy.

The following categories of proposals are generally acceptable:

  1. (a) proposals to meet the full cost of places at non-maintained schools: where an authority can show, by reference to the places available in its own maintained schools and in those of neighbouring authorities, an overall shortage of suitable maintained places;
  2. (b) proposals to assist according to parental means with the cost of education in non-maintained schools: either where an authority wishes to widen parental choice on denominational grounds and there is a shortage of suitable maintained denominational provision; or where children are judged in need of boarding education without reference to their ability or aptitude, except ability or aptitude in music—including singing and dancing—and there is a shortage of suitable maintained boarding provision in the locality.

The circular also gave my right hon. Friend's general approval to the support by local education authorities of individual pupils at non-maintained schools on grounds unrelated to ability or aptitude—except in music or dancing. Information about the number of pupils assisted in this way will, however, be collected regularly.

My right hon. Friend has also been prepared to allow some local education authorities to continue for a limited period to meet the full cost of new places at non-maintained Roman Catholic schools pending the completion of the comprehensive reorganisation of Roman Catholic

Local Education Authority Type of school (see note) School Places Requested Places Approved
Barnet 1 City of London Boys 41 0
2 Haberdashers' Aske's Boys
1 University College
1 City of London Girls
2 Haberdashers' Aske's Girls
2 North London Collegiate
2 South Hampstead High
Bexley 4 St. Joseph's Convent 50 50
Bromley 1 Holy Trinity Convent 40 40
Croydon 2 Old Place Girls' School 43 22
2 Croydon High School for Girls 30 0
1 Dulwich College
1 Trinity School of John Whitgift
1 The Whitgift School
Harrow Various non-maintained schools 70 0
Havering 3 Ursuline High School, Ilford 12 0
3 Ursuline Convent, Brentwood 15 15
Redbridge 3 Ursuline High School, Ilford 25 25
Sutton 1 Dulwich College 2 0
1 Kings School, Wimbledon 4 0
2 Kingston Grammer School 5 0
2 Old Palace School 1 0
2 Sutton High School for Girls 25 0
I.L.E.A. 1 St. Pauls Cathedral Choir School 2 2
1 The Arts Educational School 4 4
1 The Italia Conti School 2 2
1 The Nesta Brooking School 2 2
Knowsley 3 St. Edwards College, Liverpool 50 50
3 St. Francis Xaviers School, Liverpool
3 Notre Dame Collegiate School
3 Bellerive Girls School
Liverpool 3 St. Edwards College 60 60
3 St. Francis Xavier's School 60 60
3 Notre Dame Collegiate School 60 60
3 Bellerive Girls' School 45 45
3 St. Edmonds College 30 30
Sefton 2 St. Mary's College, Crosby 25 25
Wirral 2 St. Anselm's College 60 50
1 Upton Hall Convent 52 50
2 Birkenhead School 10 0
2 Birkenhead High School for Girls 5 0

secondary schools in the areas concerned. The majority of these places are at direct grant schools which will become maintained as part of local comprehensive system.

There are separate arrangements for the placement by local education authorities of handicapped pupils in independent schools. These are covered in my Department's circular 6/78, and I am sending my hon. Friend a copy.

Following, in respect of each local education authority concerned, are details of the arrangements for which my right hon. Friend's approval has been sought.

Local Education Authority Type of school (see note) School Places Requested Places Approved
Bury 2 Bolton School (Boys) 124 124
2 Bolton School (Girls)
2 Bury Grammar School
2 Bury Grammar School
3 Canonslade School, Bolton
2 Manchester Grammar School
2 Manchester High School for Girls
2 William Hulme Grammar School
2 Withington High School
3 Bury Convent Grammar School
3 Mount St. Joseph's School, Bolton
Rochdale 3 Bury Convent Grammar School 20 20
Stockport 1 Stockport Convent 120 120
1 Convent of the Nativity, Stockport 20 20
1 Loreto Convent, Altrincham
1 Mount Carmel Convent, Alderley Edge
1 St. Ambrose College, Hale Barn
Stockport 2 Cheadle Hulme School 118 0
2 Manchester Grammar School
2 Manchester High School for Girls
2 William Hulme's Grammar School
2 Withington Girls School
2 Stockport Grammar School
1 The Kings School, Macclesfield
Tameside 2 Oldham Hulme Grammar School 100 60
2 Stockport Grammar School
2 William Hulme's Grammar School
2 Withington Girls School
2 Cheadle Hulme School
1 Kings School, Macclesfield
2 Manchester Grammar School
2 Manchester High School for Girls
1 St. Ambrose College, Hale Barns 45 45
2 St. Bede's College
1 Chorlton Convent
Trafford 1 Loreto Convent Grammar School, Altrincham 132 132
1 St. Ambrose College for Boys, Hale Barns
2 Manchester Grammar School 111 111
2 William Hulme's Grammar School
2 Manchester High School for Girls
2 Withington Girls School
2 St. Bede's College
1 Convent High School of our Lady of Good Counsel
Wigan 3 Bolton, Thornleigh Boys Grammar School 5 5
3 Bolton, Mount St. Joseph's Girls Grammar School 5 5
Kirklees 1 Batley Grammar School 60 60
Avon 2 Bristol Cathedral School 5 5
3 St. Brendan's College, Bristol 89 89
4 La Retraite High School, Bristol 80 80
1 La sainte Union Convent, Bath 20 20
1 Sacred Heart Convent, Chew Magna 2 2
Bedfordshire 1 Bedford School 116 116
1 Bedford High School
2 Bedford Modern School
2 Dame Alice Harpur School, Bedford
Berkshire 1 St. Joseph's Convent, Reading 55 55
1 Presentation College, Reading 55 55
2 Abbey School, Reading 15 0
1 King Edward's School, Witley (Boarding) 7 7
1 Leighton Park School, Reading (Boarding)
Cambridgeshire 2 Perse School, Cambridge 70 0
2 Perse School for Girls, Cambridge
2 Kimbolton School
Local Education Authority Type of school (see note) School Places Requested Places Approved
Cheshire 1 Kings School, Macclesfield 125 125
1 Sandbach School 120 120
3 Bellerive Girls School, Liverpool 230 170
1 Mount Carmel Convent, Alderley Edge
3 Notre Dame, Collegiate School, Liverpool
1 Loreto Convent, Altrincham
1 Upton Hall Convent, Birkenhead
1 Stockport Convent
1 Harrytown Convent, Romiley
1 St. Ambrose College, Hale Barns
2 St. Anselm's College, Birkenhead
3 St. Edward's College, Liverpool
3 St. Francis Xavier's, Liverpool
2 Chester, The Queen's School 248 0
2 Chester, The King's School
2 Manchester Grammar School
2 Manchester High School for Girls
2 Manchester William Hulme's Grammar School
2 Manchester Withington Girls' School
2 Bolton School (Boys)
2 Bolton School (Girls)
2 The Belvedere School, Liverpool
2 Stockport Grammar School
2 Cheadle Hulme School
Devon 2 Plymouth College 22 0
2 Shebbear College 4 0
3 St. Boniface's College, Plymouth 45 45
3 Notre Dame High School, Plymouth 45 45
2 Exeter School 18 0
2 Maynard Girls School, Exeter 14 0
Dorset 1 Boscombe Convent, Bournemouth 16 16
1 St. Peters School, Bournemouth 13 13
Essex 3 Ursuline High School, Ilford 6 6
3 Ursuline Convent, Brentwood 50 50
Gloucestershire 1 Rendcomb College (Boarding) 5 5
2 Monmouth School 8 0
2 Monmouth School for Girls 3 0
1 Charlton Park Convent, Cheltenham 25 25
1 Whitefriars School, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham 25 25
Hampshire 1 Farnborough Hill Convent 32 32
1 Salesian College, Farnborough 26 26
3 St. Anne's Convent School, Southampton 201 201
1 Convent of the Cross, Boscombe 3 3
1 St. Peter's School, Southbourne 6 6
1 King Edward's School, Witley (Boarding) 4 4
Hertfordshire 1 St. Edmunds College, Bishops Stortford 25 25
Hereford and Worcester 2 Kings School, Worcester 27 27
1 St. Mary's Convent, Worcester 6 6
1 Sacred Heart College, Droitwich 6 6
Kent 1 Sevenoaks School 60 60
2 Walthamstow Hall 30 25
1 Sacred Heart School, Tunbridge Wells 6 0
1 Combe Bank, Sundridge 12 0
4 St. Joseph's Convent, Abbey Wood, Bexley 4 4
1 Ursuline Convent, Westgate-on-Sea 15 15
Lancashire 2 Blackpool, Arnold School 215 215
2 Lytham, King Edward VII School
2 Lytham, Queen Mary School
1 Elmslie School
1 Bentham Grammar School 2 2
2 Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Blackburn 30 0
3 St. Mary's College, Blackburn 180 180
3 Notre Dame Grammar School, Blackburn
3 Paddock House Convent Grammar School, Oswaldtwistle
3 Mount St. Joseph's School, Bolton
3 Thornleigh Salesian College, Bolton
3 Bury Convent Grammar School
Local Education Authority Type of school (see note) School Places Requested Places Approved
Lincolnshire 2 Stamford School 45 45
2 Stamford High School for Girls 35 35
Norfolk 1 Norwich School 15 15
2 Norwich High School 15 15
3 Notre Dame High School, Norwich 25 25
North Yorkshire 3 Bar Convent School, York 62 62
Somerset 1 Bruton Schools for Girls 40 40
1 The Hall School, Wincanton 4 4
1 Downside School, Stratton-on-the-Fosse 1 1
1 La Retraite Convent School, Burnham-on-Sea 10 10
1 La Sainte Union Convent School, Bath 2 2
1 St. Anthony's Convent School, Leverton 3 3
Suffolk 2 Woodbridge School 26 26
3 Notre Dame High School, Norwich 4 4
Surrey 1 The Italia Conti School 2 2
Warwickshire 2 The King's High School for Girls, Warwick 15 15
1 Warwick School 15 15
West Sussex 1 Christs Hospital School (Boarding) 6 6
1 Lancing College (Boarding)
Wiltshire 2 Dauntsey's School, West Lavington 25 25
3 St. Brendan's College, Bristol 15 15
1 La Sainte Union Convent, Bath 7 7
1 La Retraite Convent School, Salisbury 12 12
1 St. Mary's Convent School, Donhead 15 15
1 St. Mary's College, Bitterne, Southampton 2 2
TOTAL 4,517 3,611
School Types:
1. Independent school.
2. Direct grant school expected to become independent on the completion of the phasing out of direct grant.
3. Direct grant school which has opted to join the maintained sector.
4. Direct grant school which will close on the completion of secondary reorganisation.

The total number of places approved above compares with a total of 6,000 new places shown in local education authority's responses to my Department's circular 12/76 as having been taken up in 1976–77, the only year for which comparable figures are available.