HC Deb 13 January 2003 vol 397 cc471-3W
Mr. Damian Green

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what changes have been made to the selection criteria for schools applying for specialist status since 1997. [89300]

Mr. Miliband

Apart from minor amendments, including those designed to clarify existing criteria, the changes made have been

  1. a) schools are required to show how links with other schools and the wider community will be extended by achieving specialist status, through the production of a community plan.
  2. b) the sponsorship requirement has been reduced to 50,000; with a further reduction in the sponsorship requirement for mainstream schools with under 500 pupils.
  3. c) schools are asked to submit four year development plans (instead of three year plans).
  4. d) an introduction—and subsequent removal—of a limit on the proportion of specialist schools in an area.
  5. e) removal of the criterion relating to the proximity of other schools with the same specialism.
  6. f) priority for applicant schools in Excellence in Cities areas- which was rendered unnecessary by the 28 November 2002 announcement on the expansion of the programme. This announcement also made redundant other criteria relating to location.
  7. g) the exclusion of schools in Special Measures or with Serious Weaknesses from being able to attain specialist status.

Mr. Damian Green

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the schools that have had their applications for specialist status turned down and the reasons their applications were turned down, in each year since 1997, broken down by(a) local education authority and (b)) category of specialism. [89301]

Mr. Miliband

Applicant schools seeking designation as a specialist school are assessed against published criteria. In the past, applicants were unsuccessful if they did not meet the meet the criteria or if their development plans were not as strong as other applicants in the same competition round. For the future, applicants will not be in competition for places, provided they meet the criteria.

Copies of the full list of schools, broken down as requested, has been placed in the Libraries.

Mr. Damian Green

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what criteria a secondary school has to fulfil to achieve specialist status. [89303]

Mr. Miliband

Any such school has to:(a) produce a four-year development plan demonstrating effectively how the school will raise standards in the relevant specialist subjects and across the whole school; (b) demonstrate effectively in the plan that links with other schools and the wider community will be extended through attaining the status; and (c) secure the required sponsorship.