HC Deb 18 July 1990 vol 176 cc554-6W
Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on the issue of parents of first-year pupils, or children due to become first-year pupils at the start of the next school year, being disenfranchised from ballots on opting out due to the fact that the procedure was initiated in the period shortly before their children became formally registered at the school; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Rumbold

The Department has received a number of letters on this subject. Guidance is contained in the Department's booklet "School Governors: How to become a Grant-Maintained School", which was sent last year to every school eligible to apply for GM status. It advises governors and parents to think carefully about the timing of actions they take.

Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals are being considered for amendments to the Education Reform Act in order to make it easier for schools to opt out; whether the introduction of a procedure to opt back into local education authority control, on the same basis as that to opt out, is under consideration; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Rumbold

This September there will be 44 GM schools with a total of 30,000 pupils. That means the number of GM schools has more than doubled in 12 months. That is an impressive measure of the strength of interest among parents and governors in becoming grant maintained. My right hon. Friend will be keeping a careful watch to ensure that LEAs do not abuse their position when dealing with individual schools; and will be ready to take further action should it prove to be necessary.

Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much his Department's booklet "Grant-Maintained Schools: Questions Parents Ask" cost to produce and distribute.

Mrs. Rumbold

The cost of printing the booklets and of posting an initial distribution to all schools eligible to apply for grant-maintained status was £32,275.

Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about the introduction of a standard wording for parents' petitions requiring the governing body of schools to organise a ballot on whether or not the school should opt out of local education authority control; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Rumbold

My right hon. Friend has received one letter on this subject. Guidance on the wording of parental petitions was given in the booklet "School Governors: How to Become a Grant-maintained School", which was sent last year to every school eligible to apply for GM status. Paragraph 11 of the booklet saidThe wording of the petition should make it clear that it is to require the governing body of the school, in accordance with Section 60 of the Education Reform Act, to hold a ballot of parents on the question of whether the school should apply to the Secretary of State for grant-maintained status".

Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about the organisations referred to in his Department's booklet "School Governors: How to become a Grant-Maintained School" as sources of information on the subject; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Rumbold

Officials in the Department have received two letters on this subject.

Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from local education authorities and local authority associations concerning his Department's booklet "Grant-Maintained Schools: Questions Parents Ask".

Mrs. Rumbold

There has been correspondence between the Association of County Councils and the Department about the booklet. My right hon. Friend has not received representations from individual local authorities about the booklet.

Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received a copy of the booklet published by Local Schools Information called "Grant-Maintained Schools: Questions Parents Ask"; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Rumbold

My right hon. Friend has seen a copy of the booklet. The booklet suggests that grant-maintained schools could be isolated, but the facts point the other way. GM schools are working together constructively, sharing experiences and co-operating in joint ventures. The booklet also suggests that an application for GM status would be a leap in the dark. Yet the first GM schools have welcomed their new status and are already making full use of their greater freedom and responsibilities.

Ms. Armstrong

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what guidelines he has issued in respect of the arrangements he would expect a governing body to make in order to enable parents of a school where opting out was being considered to have an informed debate about the options available.

Mrs. Rumbold

Guidance on this point is contained in the Department's booklet "School Governors: How to become a Grant-Maintained School", which was sent to all schools eligible to apply for GM status last year. Paragraph 21 of the booklet says That debate [for and against grant-maintained status for a particular school] will have to take place locally … and will no doubt be well under way before the ballot is actually held. The Secretary of State has made it clear that he expects such debate, and any ballot on grant-maintained status or its procedures to be properly conducted: if this proves not to be the case, he may require the ballot to be held again. In addition a letter was sent from the Department to every local education authority in February 1989 about the responsibilities of LEAs during ballots on grant-maintained status. The letter made clear the Secretary of State's intention that parents, governors and school staff should be able to consider the option of grant-maintained status without fear of intimidation or harassment.