§ Mr. LathamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will give further details of the criteria which he will adopt in deciding upon an application for grant-maintained status from a school which is full but for which a section 12 closure procedure is proposed as part of a wider secondary review arising from falling rolls and surplus places in other schools; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. RumboldMy right hon. Friend will consider proposals by a local education authority for the closure or reorganisation of a school in accordance with the Education Act 1980 at the same time as he considers any proposals by the governing body of the school to become grant-maintained under the Education Reform Act 1988; but he will determine the latter proposals first. He will consider and decide all such proposals on their merits, taking all relevant factors into account.
§ Mr. LathamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will set out in tabular form the progress, since the initial resolution of the governors, of each individual school which has expressed the desire to his Department to transfer to grant-maintained status; and how many firm inquiries have been made to his Department prior to an initial resolution of governors or a signed requisition by parents under the Education Reform Act 1988.
§ Mrs. RumboldThe Department continues to receive a large number of inquiries from parents and governors548W about making an application for grant-maintained status. It receives formal notification of only two stages of such an application
the result of a ballot of parents; andwhere the parents have voted in favour of proceeding with an application, the subsequent publication of formal proposals by the governing body.The Education Reform Act 1988 requires the Secretary of State in due course to determine any such proposals. The table shows the stage which individual schools have reached:
549W
School and LEA Ballot result "Yes/No" Proposals published Skegness Grammar School, Lincs — Yes Audenshaw County High School,Tameside — Yes St. James's CE School, Bolton — Yes Wilson's School, Sutton — Yes Hendon School, Barnet — Yes Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Alford, Lincs — Yes Queensbury School, Beds — Yes Wilmington Grammar School for Girls, Kent — Yes Sir James Altham School, Herts — Yes London Oratory School, ILEA — Yes Queen Elizabeth's Boys' School, Barnet — Yes Blessed Hugh More RC School, Lincs Yes — Castlemount School, Kent Yes — Heckmondwike Grammar School,Kirklees Yes — South Park High School, Lincs. Yes — London Nautical School, ILEA Yes — Netherthorpe School, Derbyshire Yes — Ramsden School for Girls, Bromley Yes — Bankfield County High School,Cheshire Yes — The King's School, Grantham, Lincs Yes — Southfield School for Girls, Northants Yes — Baverstock School, Birmingham Yes — Small Heath School, Birmingham Yes — Colyton Grammar School, Devon Yes — Foster's Grammar School For Boys,Dorset Yes — Lord Digby's Grammar School For Girls, Dorset Yes — Castle Hall Middle School, Kirklees Yes —
School and LEA Ballot result "Yes/No" Proposals published Ravensbourne School For Girls, Bromley No — Sale Grammar School For Boys, Trafford No — Queen Elizabeth High School, Rochdale No — Chesterfield School, Derbyshire No — Millais School, West Sussex No — Wilmington Grammar School For Boys, Kent No — Chichele School, Northants No — Droylsden County High School, Tameside No — Siddal Moor High School, Rochdale No — Hadham Hall School, Herts No — In addition, I understand that the following schools have received a request from parents or passed governors' resolutions requiring that a ballot be held:
- Hindley Park High School, Wigan
- Gaynes School, Havering
- Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School, Lancashire
- Weald of Kent Grammar School For Girls, Kent
- St. Francis Xavier's School, Liverpool
- Beechen Cliff School, Avon
- Claremont High School, Brent
- St. Helena School, Derbyshire
- Ribston Hall High School, Gloucestershire
- Marling Grammar School, Gloucestershire
- Stroud Girls' High School, Gloucestershire
- Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School, ILEA
- Knowsley Ruffwood Comprehensive School, Knowsley
- Long Field High School, Leicestershire
- Kettering Boys' School, Northamptonshire
- The Guildford County School, Surrey