HC Deb 14 February 2003 vol 400 cc143-4W
Mr. Gibb

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on plans to extend and develop the Beacon schools initiative. [97150]

Mr. Miliband

For secondary schools the Beacon school initiative will be replaced by the Leading Edge Programme, which aims to extend active collaboration and develop cutting edge innovation to raise standards across the school system.

There will be no further expansion of a centrally funded Beacon school programme for primary, nursery and special schools. This is in line with the general wish of head teachers to reduce the proportion of funding delivered through ring-fenced grants and to devolve more funding decisions to local communities. Schools and LEAs will be able to broker and fund collaborative partnerships from within the substantial overall increase in resources provided as a result of the 2002 Spending Review. We are encouraging LEAs to fund this activity. My Department intends to explore arrangements for endorsing local programmes through a Beacon recognition scheme.