HC Deb 27 June 2001 vol 370 c107W
Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many specialist schools with an arts specialism have so far been designated; and how many she intends to designate by January 2002. [797]

Mr. Timms

Ninety-one arts colleges have so far been designated. We expect the next designations will be made in January 2002, but it is not possible to say how many. Decisions will be taken at the same time as decisions on the designation of language, sports and technology colleges and will depend in part on the relative quality of applications across the categories.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many specialist status comprehensive schools have been designated. [822]

Mr. Timms

Of the 684 designated specialist schools, 616 are comprehensive, 30 are grammar, 29 are secondary modern and nine are special schools.

Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment her Department has undertaken of the ability of schools to raise £50,000 to support a school's bid for specialist school status. [932]

Mr. Timms

No formal assessment has been undertaken into the ability of schools applying for specialist school status to raise sponsorship. We recognised there were difficulties with the original £100,000 requirement and reduced this to £50,000 in 1999. My Department grant aids the technology colleges and youth sport trusts, which provide advice to schools about raising sponsorship and raise funds themselves to support applicant schools. The network of 684 specialist schools shows that applicant schools across the country, including those from rural and inner city areas, have successfully raised the sponsorship required. We shall keep the sponsorship criteria under review.