HC Deb 05 March 1984 vol 55 cc407-8W
Mr. Knox

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many proposals for the change of status of first, primary, middle and secondary schools he has received from local education authorities in each of the past four years; how many of these he approved; and how many he rejected.

Mr. Dunn

Sections 12 and 13 of the Education Act 1980 do not refer to changes of status, but require the publication of proposals for significant changes of character by local education authorities under section 12, for county schools, and by governors under section 13, for voluntary schools. What constitutes a significant change of character is explained in the annex to circular 2/80, a copy of which I am sending to my hon. Friend. The number of proposals for significant changes of character approved and rejected by my right hon. Friend and his predecessor since these sections came into force, together with the number of schools involved, is shown in the tables below.

Proposals to make significant change in character of schools
A. County schools
Year Approved by Secretary of State Rejected by Secretary of State
i. First School
1980 none none
1981 8(10) none
1982 8(17) 3(5)
1983 8(63) —
1984 Jan. 1(23) none
Total 25(113) 3(5)
ii. Primary schools (excluding first schools)
1980 1(1) none
1981 18(21) 1(1)
1982 18(50) 2(2)
1983 18(25) 2(2)
1984 Jan. 1(1) 1(1)
Total 56(98) 6(6)
iii. Middle schools
1980 none none
1981 2(2) none
1982 2(2) none
1983 2(22) none
1984 Jan. 1(20) none
Total 7(46) none
iv. Secondary schools
1980 none none
1981 5(8) 2(5)
1982 6(11) 5(18)
1983 10(73) 9(19)
1984 Jan. 1(10) none
Total 22(102) 16(42)

Note: The first figure in each case is the number of proposals and the figure in brackets is the number of schools.

Proposals to make significant change in the character of schools
B. Voluntary Schools
Year Approved by Secretary of State Rejected by Secretary of State
i. First Schools
1980 none none
1981 1(2) none
1982 7(7) 2(2)
1983 10(37) none
1984 Jan. 6(11) 1(1)
Total 24(57) 3(3)
ii. Primary schools (excluding first schools)
1980 none none
1981 6(6) 2(3)
1982 19(43) none
1983 42(45) none
1984 Jan. 1(1) none
Total 68(95) 2(3)
iii. Middle schools
1980 none none
1981 none none
1982 1(1) none
1983 8(14) none
1984 Jan. 1(1) none
Total 10(16) none
iv. Secondary schools
1980 none none
1981 1(1) 2(2)
1982 5(11) 2(6)
1983 6(10) 1(1)
1984 Jan. none none
Total 12(22) 5(9)

Note: The first figure in each case is the number of proposals and the figure in brackets is the number of schools.