HC Deb 08 December 2003 vol 415 cc294-5W
Mr. Gibb

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools gained specialist status in(a) technology, (b) sports, (c) arts, (d) languages, (e) engineering, (f) science, (g) mathematics and computing and (h) business and enterprise (i) before and (ii) after September 2002. [141798]

Mr. Miliband

The data requested is given in the table set out as follows.

Gained specialist status:
(i) Before

September 2002

(ii) After

September 2002

Total
(a) Technology Colleges 465 60 525
(b) Sports Colleges 161 68 229
(c) Arts Colleges 173 57 230
(d) Language Colleges 162 32 194
(e) Engineering Colleges 4 10 14
(f) Science Colleges 24 97 121
(g) Maths & Computing 12 65 77
(h) Business & Enterprise 18 63 81
Combined specialisms 10 10
1,019 462 1,481

Mr. Gibb

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether aptitude selection by specialist schools is permitted under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 in the(a) engineering, (b) mathematics and computing and (c) business and enterprise specialisms. [141823]

Mr. Miliband

The specialist subjects covered by the engineering specialism include design and technology and information technology. The specialist subjects covered by the mathematics and computing and the business and enterprise specialisms include information technology.

Design and technology and information technology are both included in the list of prescribed subjects in the Regulations made under Section 102 of the 1998 School Standards and Framework Act. Schools designated in these three categories could therefore identify a specialism in which to select up to 10 per cent. of their pupils on the basis of their aptitude for that specialism.

Dr. Kumar

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools in each region have been awarded specialist status; for what subjects; and if he will make a statement.[141869]

Specialist school designations by region
Region Arts Business

and

Enterprise

Engineering Language Maths and

Computing

Science Sports Technology Combined

Specialisms

Total
North East 9 2 1 9 4 5 16 35 1 82
East Midlands 20 6 2 14 3 11 16 54 1 127
York & the Humber 20 8 2 19 10 10 23 49 2 143
Eastern 26 12 1 22 11 16 23 58 1 170
South West 26 10 2 20 8 18 28 63 1 176
London 30 13 24 12 17 24 57 1 178
West Midlands 32 9 1 18 6 17 31 66 180
South East 31 7 1 34 15 15 32 73 1 209
North West 36 14 4 30 8 12 36 74 2 216
Total 230 81 14 190 77 121 229 529 10 1,481