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8 Nov 2005 : Column 463W—continued
Sports Hubs
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list schools designated as sports hubs in each London local authority. [24227]
Jacqui Smith: The list of School Sport Partnership hub sites in each London local education authority is as follows:
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Sure Start
Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she is taking to ensure that deprived areas of Shrewsbury have access to the Sure Start programme. [24305]
Beverley Hughes: Shrewsbury and Atcham Sure Start Local Programme has been operating in Shrewsbury since March 2003, delivering Sure Start services to children under four and their families. The designation of Shrewsbury Children's Centre in December 2004 brought integrated services to 1,156 children under 5 and their families living in the wards of Harlescott, Sundorne, Battlefield and Heathgates, Castlefields and Quarry, Monkmoor and Underdale.
For Phase 2 of the children's centre programme (2006–08) Shropshire local authority has been asked to create a further 10 children's centres and reach an additional 8,549 children. The authority has been allocated £3,339,900 in funding for this period.
Trust Schools
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what powers she proposes to give Trust schools which are not available to Foundation schools. [26300]
Jacqui Smith: The detailed arrangements for Trust schools will be set out in the Education Bill expected in the new year. Trust schools will benefit from all the freedoms available to Foundation schools. In addition the opportunity to form partnerships with external organisations will strengthen Trust schools' governing bodies, and help to invigorate school leadership by providing an external source of direction, continuity and focus for the school.
Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what audit arrangements she intends to put in place for the trust schools proposed in the White Paper. [26305]
Jacqui Smith: The audit arrangements for Trust schools will be the same as for all maintained schools. They will comply with the audit arrangements as set out by the local authority. All Trusts will by law be charities and will be subject to regulation by the Charities Commission.
Under-achievement
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps are being taken by her Department to ensure that school trusts (a) build upon best practice and (b) tackle underachievement. [26085]
Jacqui Smith:
School Trusts will build on the long tradition of voluntary schools which are backed by Trusts and on the experience of Academies of working with a private or voluntary sector sponsor.
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The opportunity to form partnerships with external organisations will strengthen Trust schools' governing bodies, and help to invigorate school leadership by providing an external source of direction, continuity and focus for the school. Trust governors will help their
8 Nov 2005 : Column 466W
schools to develop a distinctive ethos and approach to the curriculum and the organisation of the school, with a central focus on raising standards and creating new opportunities for children.