§ Mr. Peter DuncanTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many schools have been assisted by the Rural Schools Fund initiative since its inception; [45976]
(2) how many schools have been assisted by the Rural Schools Grant Fund; and what is the total amount awarded since its inception. [46977]
§ John Healey[holding answer 25 March 2002]:The Department does not fund a Rural Schools Fund. However, rural schools in England can benefit from a number of programmes, including the Small Schools Fund. This Fund, part of the simplified Standards Fund, was set up in 2001 by the merging of two previous grants (the Administrative Support Fund for Small Schools and the Small School Support Fund). The Small Schools Fund is worth a total of £80 million a year, guaranteed until 2004. It is allocated to Local Education Authorities (LEAs) according to the number of their primary and special schools with 200 pupils or less, and secondary schools with 600 pupils or less. An allowance is also made for nursery schools and Pupil Referral Units (PRUs).
Using the Department's thresholds, based on the January 2000 school census, 9,982 schools, nurseries and PRUs were able to benefit from the total Small School Fund allocation to LEAs for 2001–02. LEAs have to devolve at least 95 per cent. of the funding to schools.
156WHowever, LEAs can concentrate funding on fewer schools in their area by setting their own, lower thresholds should they so wish.