HC Deb 08 June 1992 vol 209 cc41-2W
Mrs. Helen Jackson

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what extra grant is made available for small schools under grant-maintained status.

Mr. Forth

All grant-maintained schools, irrespective of size, are eligible for transitional grants, special purpose grants and capital grants over and above their annual maintenance grant. The special purpose grant for staff and curriculum development and the capital formula grant each includes a minimum allocation, which is to the benefit of small schools. In addition, the annual maintenance grant will include a small school allowance to the extent that this is the case under the local management of schools scheme of the grant-maintained school's former local education authority.

Mr. Barnes

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what inspections are being made into the operations of grant-maintained schools; and whether his Department will be publishing a report on the findings.

Mr. Forth

The arrangements for inspection under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 will ensure that we have detailed inspection reports on a quarter of all schools, including GM schools, each year. In the meantime, Her Majesty's inspectorate has included GM schools, along with other maintained schools, in its regular programme of visits. To date, these visits do not yet provide the sort of evidence base that would be expected for a report aimed at fulfilling that part of HMI's remit which is to make known more widely good practice and promising developments, and draw attention to weaknesses requiring attention.

Mr. Barnes

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what geographical and age range criteria he employs to determine which combinations of schools will be entitled to consideration when considering applications from clusters of schools for grant-maintained status.

Mr. Forth

At present, schools must apply individually to my right hon. Friend for grant-maintained status following a successful parental ballot. Each application is treated strictly on its merits. My right hon. Friend is considering arrangements to permit schools to apply for grant-maintained status in groups.

Mr. Barnes

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if it is his intention to introduce legislation to turn all local education authority schools, other than nursery and special schools, into grant-maintained schools; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Forth

It is already possible for any local education authority county or voluntary school to apply to my right hon. Friend for grant-maintained status after a successful parental ballot. This arrangement is working well and there are no plans to change it.

As at 4 June, 260 schools have already been approved for grant-maintained status. In time I expect grant-maintained status to become the natural organisational model, particularly for secondary schools.

Mr. Barnes

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidelines are issued by his Department for the operation of petitions and ballots which seek to determine whether a school should apply for grant-maintained status; what are the criteria for determining who is eligible to petition and to vote; and what arrangements are made to cross-check a person's entitlement to petition or vote with entries in local government and parliamentary electoral registers.

Mr. Forth

The Department produces a booklet entitled "How to Become a Grant-Maintained School" which gives guidance for the operation of petitions and ballots in connection with seeking to achieve grant-maintained status. It is the duty of the governing body to take reasonable steps to determine who is eligible to vote by virtue of their being a parent of a registered pupil at the school.

Mr. Barnes

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the long-term funding of grant-maintained schools; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Forth

We are keeping the matter under review as the number of grant-maintained schools increases.