Grant-maintained Schools

HC Deb 25 June 1991 vol 193 c455W

25. Mr. French

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools have now opted for grant-maintained status.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

A total of 200 schools have now voted in favour of seeking grant-maintained status. Of these, 155 schools have so far published proposals for grant-maintained status. We have approved 88, rejected 13 and have yet to decide the remaining 54.

26. Mrs. Ann Winterton

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the aims of the policy relating to grant-maintained schools.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

Grant-maintained schools policy aims to increase parental choice, to make schools more responsive to local needs, to enable resources to be more effectively used for the benefit of pupils and to foster higher educational standards.