§ David DavisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether it is his policy to reduce the size of schools that perform to an above-average standard. [134838]
§ Mr. MilibandThe Secretary of State does not decide the size of schools. To reduce the number of places at a school, the admission authority (the local education authority for community and voluntary controlled schools, the governing body for foundation and voluntary aided schools) would have to change the school's admission arrangements, after the required consultation, so as to include a lower admission number. Other local schools or neighbouring local education authorities could object to the Schools Adjudicator if they disagreed with the new lower number. So could 10 or more local parents, if the new number is below the school's measured capacity.
Our guidance to local decision-makers on changes to school organisation makes it clear that blanket assumptions should not be made about the optimum size of a school; and that the priority must be to secure the highest standards.