HC Deb 15 March 2004 vol 419 cc75-6W
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been made available to Chesterfield High School in Sefton for developing sporting facilities since 1997; how the funding has been spent; and what(a) capital and (b) revenue schemes are pending. [160180]

Mr. Miliband

[holding answer 9 March 2004]Upon designation as a specialist Sports College in September 2000, Chesterfield High School received a capital grant of £100,000. The school also receives recurrent annual funding based on pupil numbers to meet the costs of implementing the specialist school development plan. This is currently around £145,000 per year, of which the school is required to spend at least one third on the community element of the development plan.

The school is also receiving an award of a total of £314,328 over three years as a result of a successful School Sport partnership bid, to support the infrastructure and funding for a Partnership Development Manager. A further award to extend the Central Sefton School Sport Partnership has also been confirmed. This will mean total funding of £616,866 over three years from September 2004.

Chesterfield High School is also part of a New Opportunities Fund application by Sefton LEA. If formally approved, the funding will be used to enhance changing facilities at the school.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the schools that have used the sports facilities in the Chesterfield High School Specialist Sports College in Sefton since the school was awarded specialist status; and for what percentage of the total time available the facilities have been used by this group of schools. [160181]

Mr. Miliband

[holding answer 9 March 2004]Chesterfield High School currently works with four partner secondary schools (St. Wilfrid's Catholic High School, Savio High School, Bootle High School, and Manor High School) and 20 primary schools. Sports facilities are made available to these schools as part of Chesterfield High School's specialist school community development plan and its School Sport partnership plan. The DfES does not hold data centrally about the amount of time their facilities are used by these schools.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how schools in Sefton access the facilities of Chesterfield High School; and what steps are being taken to make the facilities better known to groups that have right of access. [160182]

Mr. Miliband

[holding answer 9 March 2004]Schools in Sefton access facilities at Chesterfield High School as part of the specialist school community plan, the School Sport partnership programme, and local administrative arrangements. A Community Sport Development Officer has been appointed to help with this process.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what charges are levied on schools that use the Chesterfield High School Specialist Sports College in Sefton. [160183] Mr. Miliband[holding answer 9 March 2004]Schools are not charged for using facilities at Chesterfield High School during the school day. At evenings and weekends charging is in line with the local authority's charging policy.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what facilities and services at Chesterfield High School in Sefton are available to members of the public; what mechanisms are used to inform the public about the facilities and service available; whether facilities are available to(a) individual members of the public and (b) sporting groups; and on what basis in each case. [160184]

Mr. Miliband

[holding answer 9 March 2004]Management of sports facilities at Chesterfield High School has recently transferred from the local authority to the school. At present, facilities are open to the public seven days a week under a lettings arrangement, with some exceptions during examination periods. A range of sporting groups including a number of football and badminton clubs arid the Merseyside County Netball Association currently use facilities at the school, and the school runs activities during school holidays. Precise details of the future availability of facilities and the mechanisms used to inform the public will be decided locally as part of the transition, by the school, its partners, and the local authority.