§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what resources will be available for the proposed expansion of the specialist schools programme; and what projects he has planned for schools in Hampshire. [126183]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeIn November 2002 the Government lifted the cap on national funding for the specialist schools programme so that any school which meets the required standard can now be a specialist school. We are keen that all secondary schools that want to apply and meet the criteria will become specialist schools.
Also in November, the Government announced the creation of the partnership fund, containing £2 million from the Government and £1 million from the private sector to be administered by the Specialist Schools Trust. The fund is designed specifically to help schools which have been unable to raise all of the required £50,000 sponsorship money, despite having made sustained efforts to do so.
We would encourage Hampshire schools, as indeed we would all schools, to take advantage of these developments.