Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what discussions her Department has had with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority regarding the Futures: Meeting the Challenge document; [23357]
(2) whether the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority document Futures: Meeting the Challenge reflects the policy of her Department; [23448]
(3) on whose authority the publication of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority document Futures: Meeting the Challenge was approved. [23450]
Jacqui Smith: The QCA, a non-departmental body with a statutory remit to review the curriculum, independently published their Futures document in October. They keep the Department informed of the progress they are making on this work, and we are continuing to monitor developments with interest.
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what meetings she has had with representative groups to discuss proposed changes to schools' admissions policies; and if she will make a statement. [22739]
Jacqui Smith: During the last year, Ministers have talked with a wide range of groups, representing parents, schools, local authorities and other interested parties; and have listened to their views of the school admissions system. We know that what parents want is the choice of good schools; and what most schools want is the freedom to admit a wide range of pupils. This has informed our proposals in the White Paper.
On 18 October, we completed consultation on the revised statutory School Admissions Code of Practice, to which admission authorities for schools must 'have regard'. The Code provides guidance on good and poor practice within the school admissions process. The Secretary of State will be considering responses to the consultation before determining the final content of the Code.
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what process a new or expanded school would have to adopt under the proposals in the White Paper if it wished to vary its admissions procedure after the first three years of operation. [23331]
Jacqui Smith: New or expanded schools that wish to vary their admission arrangements, after the first three years of operation, would be able to do so under the normal process used by all admission authorities to determine admission arrangements.
Legislation requires admission authorities to consult annually over their proposed admission arrangements. If agreement cannot be reached locally, another admission
2 Nov 2005 : Column 1186W
authority or a school can object to the independent schools adjudicator, if they believe that the arrangements are not in the best interests of local parents and children.
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will seek to legislate to define acceptable admissions criteria for schools. [23332]
Jacqui Smith: We have recently consulted on a revised School Admissions Code of Practice, which contains a list of acceptable and appropriate admissions criteria.
All admission authorities must have regard to the statutory guidance in the code, when determining their admission arrangements. Local authorities are encouraged to object to the independent schools adjudicator, if a school's proposed admission arrangements are not in line with the code, or are not in the best interests of local parents and children.
We have amended legislation, however, to include aspects of admissions which we think must always be followed, such as giving priority to looked after children and no longer allowing schools to introduce selection by aptitude in technology.
Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many appeals there were against allocation of school places in the London borough of Merton in each year since 1997; and how many were upheld. [22385]
Jacqui Smith: The information requested is shown in the table.
Mr. Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools have been designated for closure in each of the last eight years, broken down by (a) local education authority, (b) type of school and (c) number of pupils in the school. [19695]
Jacqui Smith: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.
Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools have closed in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) local education authority, (b) sector and (c) size. [23597]
Jacqui Smith: The information is provided in the tables. The figures include closures of mainstream schools maintained by local authorities and maintained special schools but exclude independent schools.
The figures include schools that have closed as a result of an amalgamation or local reorganisation of schools and also those where a new school has opened in their place e.g. a school with a religious character, an Academy or a fresh start school. Figures relate to
2 Nov 2005 : Column 1188W
calendar years. Proposed school closures for 31 December 2005 are shown separately and included in the total.
Since September 1999 decisions on school closures have been determined locally by the LA (for proposals they published where there were no objections), the local School Organisation Committee (SOC) or, where the SOC have been unable to agree a unanimous decision, the independent schools adjudicator. Ministers have no role in the process.
Next Section | Index | Home Page |