HC Deb 14 June 1994 vol 244 cc486-7W
Mr. Mackinlay

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the grant-maintained and voluntary aided schools in Essex that applied to become technology colleges and set out for each of the schools for which an application was approved(a) the specific, quantifiable performance indicators, set out by the school in support of its application, which were used as a basis for determining the approval of the application, (b) the value of the additional grants that the technology college will receive from the Department for Education, or other sources of public funds, by way of the initial capital grant, enhanced capital formula allocation, and additional revenue funding and (c) the value of the financial contribution to be made by sponsors from industry and commerce to the initial establishment of the technology college and to the annual cost of its operations.

Mr. Robin Squire

Three schools in Essex have submitted full applications to become technology colleges and have been approved to operate as technology colleges from 1 September 1994. They are Chalvedon school, Basildon; the Philip Morant school, Colchester; and Saffron Walden high school, Saffron Walden. Other schools are at varying stages in preparing their applications.

Each approved technology college's plan includes one or more targets relating to increased curriculum provision in the specialist subjects of technology, science and mathematics; one or more targets relating to increased take-up of such provision; and one or more targets relating to improved test and examination attainment in these subjects. Each has been invited to submit a bid for a. capital project which involves a capital grant of up to £100,000; and a bid for additional annual grant, at the rate of £60 per pupil in 1994–95, for support, equipment and training for the teaching of technology, science and mathematics.

Each of the three schools has been pledged sponsorship from industry and commerce of some £100,000 to be made available in the school's first year of operation as a technology college. Additional contributions from sponsors to the annual cost of operation of a technology college are a matter for the schools and their sponsors.