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Dept for Education and Skills

Answer

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the time that local education authorities and promoters will need to plan and implement proposals for replacement secondary schools resulting from the proposal in the Education Bill to include replacement secondary schools in the secondary school competition arrangements; and what assessment she has made of whether there will be an increase in pressures on staff, parents and pupils subject to the competition procedures while undergoing school reorganisation. [220890] Derek Twigg: Competitions for replacement secondary schools will take place only where the local authority decides that statutory proposals for a new secondary school are necessary. The time scale will therefore be the same as for any other reorganisation, with the addition of four months for prospective promoters to prepare their bids. We would expect the local authority to take this into account in planning future reorganisations and discussing them with schools. Since competitions will take place only where proposals for new schools would be required in any case, there should be no increased pressure on staff, parents and pupils. The competition requirement, and increased time for preparation of possible alternative options and provision for people to comment on those proposals, will together give greater opportunities for staff, pupils and parents to have a say about the type of school that they believe will best meet local needs.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

431 c1973W;431 c1965W; 220890

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Construction Competition Local education authorities Planning Secondary education Reorganisation

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk