§ Mr. John MacKayasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the progress of the Scottish assisted places scheme relating to the school year 1981–82.
§ Mr. YoungerThe scheme has got off to a good start. A total of 776 pupils are receiving fee remission in 39 participating schools—table A below gives details. Expenditure on fee remission and incidental expenses is expected to be about £800,000 amounting to the whole of the resources transferred from the block grant to grant-aided secondary schools for the scheme.
The aim of assisting less well-off families has been achieved. 330–43 per cent.—of the pupils will be receiving full fee remission which indicates a relevant family income of £4,766 per annum or less. A further 86–11 per cent.—have family incomes between £4,767 and £5,500 per annum, and 132–17 per cent.—between £5,501 and £6,500. Table B gives a full income profile.
A total of 428–55 per cent.—of the pupils are boys and 348–45 per cent.—girls. 74–10 per cent.—have been admitted to the five denominational schools. 69–9 per cent.—are boarders, although assistance under the scheme does not extend to boarding fees.
A total of 214–28 per cent.—of the pupils did not formerly attend a fee-paying school. The relatively high proportion of pupils who did attend fee-paying schools is largely accounted for by the fact that fee remission was made available to the children in the participating schools whose families qualify under the income scale. Many of these were already in receipt of fee remission made available by the grant-aided secondary schools themselves out of the block grant which is being phased out. In subsequent years it will be open to the participating schools to admit a higher proportion of applicants from public sector schools.
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Table A Albyn School for Girls, Aberdeen 4 Benedictine Convent School, Dumfries nil Belmont House School, Newton Mearns, Renfrewshire 3 Craigholme School for Girls, Glasgow 8 Convent of the Sacred Heart School, Kilgraston, Perthshire 4 Daniel Stewart's and Melville College 194 Mary Erskine George Watson's Dollar Academy 20 Edinburgh Academy 9 Fernhill School, Rutherglen 5 Fettes College, Edinburgh 9 Fort Augustus Abbey School 9 George Heriot's School, Edinburgh 46 Glasgow Academy 11 Gordonstoun School, Morayshire 6 The High School of Dundee 63 The High School of Glasgow 17 Hutcheson's Grammar School, Glasgow 74 Keil School, Dumbarton 11 Kelvinside Academy, Glasgow 27 Laurel Bank School, Glasgow 21 Lomond School, Helensburgh 8 Loretto School, Musselburgh 5 Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh 8 Morrison's Academy, Crieff 39 The Park School, Glasgow 19 Rannoch School, Perthshire 5 Robert G:ordon's College 10 Rudolf Steiner School of Edinburgh 5 St. Aloysit. Aloysius' College, Glasgow 51
Table A St. Columba's School, Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire 19 St. Denis and Cranley School, Edinburgh 5 St. George's School for Girls, Edinburgh nil St. Hilary's School, Edinburgh 6 St. Leonards & St. Katharines School, St. Andrews 1 St. Margaret's Convent School, Edinburgh 5 St. Margaret's School for Girls, Aberdeen 2 St. Margaret's School for Girls, Newington, Edinburgh 10 Strathallan School, Forgandenny, Perthshire nil Trinity College, Glenalmond, Perthshire 7 Westbourne School for Girls, Glasgow 30
Table B pupils per cent. Less than £4,766 330 43 £4,767 to £5,500 86 11 £5,501 to £6,500 132 17 £6,501 to £7,500 116 15 £7,501 to £8,500 85 11 £8,501 to £9,010 27 3