§ Mr. BlunkettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list those bodies involved in the consultation exercise in respect of schools' admission policies which favoured allowing schools the option to select up to 15 per cent. of pupils by aptitude or ability; and what proportion of the total number of organisations consulted these represent. [21056]
§ Mrs. GillanThe draft admissions circular, issued for consultation on 8 January, set out the Secretary of State's view that schools could select up to 15 per cent. of pupils with reference to ability or aptitude without having to publish statutory proposals. The previous benchmark for which statutory proposals had been necessary was 10 per cent. in certain subjects. A total of 218 responses were received from the around 1,500 bodies consulted. Some 94 of the responses made no reference to this interpretation of existing legislation. Of the 124 which did comment on the new interpretation, 15 welcomed the Secretary of State's view. The other responses included opposition to selection and concern about the impact on the provision of places locally. The following supported the Secretary of State's view and were content for their responses to be made public under the code of practice on access to government information:
- Bennett Memorial School, Kent
- Castle Hall School, West Yorkshire
- Chancellors School, Hatfield
- Chatham House Grammer School, Kent
- Chelmsford County High School for Girls, Essex
- The City Technology Colleges Trust
- Davonport High School for Boys, Devon
- Funding Agency for Schools
- Grant Maintained Schools Advisory Committee
- Hayes School, Bromley
- The King John School, Essex
- Oldfield School for Girls, Avon
- St. Clement Danes School, Hertfordshire
- Thomas More School, Surrey
- Wandsworth Borough Council, Education Department.
Of course it will be for individual admission authorities to decide whether to introduce these new selective arrangements.