§ Sir Michael McNair-WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many residential private schools catering for the needs of children with educational problems are approved by his Department; if he will list them; how often each of them has been14W inspected by Her Majesty's inspectorate in the past five years; how many receive pupils from local authorities; and whether he will list their average annual fees.
§ Mr. FallonThere are 118 independent residential schools in England approved by the Secretary of State for Education and Science under section 11(3)(a) of the Education Act 1981 to cater for children with statements of special educational needs.
The Department issues an annual list of all approved schools, including those which take only day pupils. This list is intended for the guidance of chief education officers. I have sent a copy to my hon. Friend, and a copy has also been placed in the Library.
Information about the frequency of visits by Her Majesty's inspectors to approved independent schools which take boarders is not held centrally or separately. However, Her Majesty's inspectorate aims to inspect all schools which have approval at least once every five years, while those which do not have approval or give cause for concern are visited more frequently.
All approved independent schools receive pupils from local authorities, whether placed by local education authorities or social services departments.
The mean maximum fee charged by approved independent residential schools catering for children with statements of special educational needs was approximately £21,200 as of January 1991. This figure is based on independent school returns for 1991, a small number of which have not yet been received by my Department, and derives from a wide range of schools, some of which provide for 52-week placements.