17 July 2007 : Column 326W—continued
Schools: Rural Areas
Mr. Evans:
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the number of rural schools that are likely to close in each year to 2015. [150258]
17 July 2007 : Column 327W
Jim Knight:
The Department has not made an estimate of the number of rural schools that are likely to close in each year to 2015. Decisions about school closures are made by the local authority, or schools adjudicator. When considering proposals, local authorities and the schools adjudicator are required to have regard to statutory guidance which contains a presumption against closing rural primary schools. While this does not mean that no rural primary school will ever close, the case for closure must be strong and in the best interests of educational provision in the area.
Local authorities are responsible for the overall planning of school places in their area and we expect them to ensure that school places are where parents want them.
Schools: Standards
Mr. Laws:
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the structural changes necessary in the schools system to drive up standards; and if he will make a statement. [149939]
Jim Knight:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made a statement to the House on 10 July setting out the Government's plans for raising standards in schools. The Education and Inspections Act 2006 put in place a new framework which will underpin these plans, including the creation of trusts to strengthen the
17 July 2007 : Column 328W
governance of schools and enable schools to forge permanent relationships with external partners. The Act requires local authorities to promote diversity and increase choice, and gives them new powers to commission school places in response to parental demand. Local authorities also have enhanced powers to tackle poorly performing schools. The academies programme will continue to drive up standards in disadvantaged communities.
As my right honourable Friend made clear, the Government's focus is on standards. We are confident that the framework that we have put in place gives schools and local authorities the tools they need to deliver better outcomes for children and families.
Secondary Education: Admissions
Mr. Byers:
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of parents did not receive their first choice of school on transfer of their child from primary to secondary education, broken down by local education authority, in the last period for which figures are available. [149946]
Jim Knight
[holding answer 16 July 2007 ]: The Department does not routinely collate data on preferences met, but did obtain this information from a number of local authorities during March 2007. A copy of the data received will be placed in the House Library.
| Outcome of the secondary school admissions process in England for entry in September 2007 |
| Authorities | Number of offers issued | Number who obtained a preferred school | Percentage who obtained a preferred school | Number who obtained first preference | Percentage who obtained first preference | Number without any offer | Vacant school places |
|
Barking and Dagenham
|
2,360
|
2,210
|
94.00
|
1,689
|
71.50
|
0
|
215
|
|
Barnet
|
3,383
|
2,991
|
88.40
|
2,058
|
60.80
|
0
|
0
|
|
Barnsley
|
2,774
|
2,739
|
98.70
|
2,614
|
94.20
|
36
|
327
|
|
Bath
|
1,616
|
1,555
|
96.00
|
1,498
|
93.00
|
0
|
223
|
|
Bedfordshire
|
4,650
|
4,567
|
98.21
|
4,299
|
92.45
|
0
|
259
|
|
Bexley
|
2,772
|
2,687
|
97.00
|
1,728
|
62.34
|
85
|
0
|
|
Birmingham
|
14,694
|
13,795
|
87.34
|
10,005
|
63.35
|
0
|
0
|
|
Blackburn
|
1,933
|
1,745
|
90.00
|
1,558
|
81.00
|
0
|
28
|
|
Blackpool
|
1,562
|
1,507
|
96.50
|
1,442
|
95.20
|
0
|
216
|
|
Bolton
|
3,520
|
3,444
|
97.84
|
3,281
|
93.21
|
0
|
70
|
|
Bournemouth
|
1,468
|
1,411
|
96.11
|
1,042
|
70.98
|
0
|
204
|
|
Bracknell Forest
|
1,229
|
1,145
|
93.00
|
—
|
—
|
0
|
39
|
|
Bradford
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Brent
|
2,767
|
2,580
|
92.00
|
1,963
|
69.80
|
45
|
42
|
|
Brighton
|
2,238
|
2,088
|
93.30
|
1,871
|
83.60
|
0
|
92
|
|
Bristol
|
3,641
|
3,451
|
95.00
|
3,173
|
87.00
|
0
|
650
|
|
Bromley
|
3,350
|
3,164
|
95.00
|
2,199
|
66.00
|
0
|
0
|
|
Buckinghamshire
|
5,855
|
5,511
|
92.40
|
3,345
|
56.08
|
0
|
83
|
|
Bury
|
2,083
|
2,046
|
98.20
|
1,893
|
90.90
|
37
|
0
|
|
Calderdale
|
2,414
|
2,347
|
97.20
|
1,945
|
80.60
|
0
|
85
|
|
Cambridgeshire
|
1,298
|
1,298
|
89.80
|
974
|
67.40
|
146
|
0
|
|
Camden
|
1,298
|
1,298
|
89.80
|
974
|
67.40
|
146 (10%)
|
0
|
|
Cheshire
|
7,616
|
7,236
|
95.00
|
6,893
|
90.50
|
202
|
731
|
|
City of London
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Cornwall
|
5,520
|
5,449
|
99.00
|
5,366
|
97.20
|
0
|
774
|
|
Coventry
|
3,278
|
3,082
|
94.25
|
2,976
|
88.73
|
196
|
478
|
|
Croydon
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Cumbria
|
5,595
|
5,548
|
99.20
|
5,563
|
95.90
|
0
|
0
|
17 July 2007 : Column 329W
17 July 2007 : Column 330W
|
Darlington
|
1,206
|
1,043
|
86.60
|
802
|
66.50
|
0
|
24
|
|
Derby City
|
2,592
|
2,553
|
98.50
|
2,259
|
87.01
|
39
|
305
|
|
Derbyshire
|
8,463
|
8,295
|
98.00
|
8,036
|
95.00
|
0
|
706
|
|
Devon
|
8,128
|
7,990
|
98.30
|
7,612
|
93.65
|
0
|
0
|
|
Doncaster
|
3,417
|
3,374
|
98.75
|
3,251
|
95.14
|
43
|
559
|
|
Dorset
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Dudley
|
3,903
|
3,365
|
86.20
|
3,099
|
79.00
|
0
|
47
|
|
Durham
|
5,568
|
5,516
|
99.00
|
5,424
|
97.40
|
0
|
940
|
|
Ealing
|
3,218
|
3,002
|
93.28
|
2,270
|
70.50
|
0
|
26
|
|
East Riding
|
3,620
|
3,586
|
99.00
|
3,518
|
97.00
|
20
|
420
|
|
East Sussex
|
5,221
|
4,857
|
93.00
|
4,578
|
87.70
|
0
|
487
|
|
Enfield
|
3,711
|
3,500
|
94.00
|
2,388
|
64.30
|
211
|
237
|
|
Essex
|
15,575
|
15,195
|
97.56
|
13,054
|
83.81
|
0
|
1,463
|
|
Gloucestershire
|
7,238
|
6,796
|
9390
|
5,892
|
81.40
|
0
|
0
|
|
Greenwich
|
2,601
|
2,452
|
94.27
|
—
|
—
|
0
|
254
|
|
Hackney
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Halton
|
1,328
|
1,334
|
99.60
|
1,288
|
97.00
|
6
|
343
|
|
Hammersmith and Fulham
|
1,138
|
1,138
|
88.50
|
728
|
62.00
|
136
|
225
|
|
Hampshire
|
14,575
|
14,285
|
98.00
|
13,820
|
95.00
|
0
|
1,190
|
|
Haringey
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Harrow
|
1,775
|
1,754
|
98.75
|
1,569
|
88.00
|
0
|
115
|
|
Hartlepool
|
1,119
|
1,119
|
100.00
|
1,101
|
98.00
|
0
|
132
|
|
Havering
|
2,736
|
2,599
|
95.00
|
2,161
|
79.00
|
137
|
227
|
|
Hereford
|
1,972
|
1,921
|
97.42
|
1,768
|
89.66
|
0
|
191
|
|
Hertfordshire
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Hillingdon
|
3,054
|
2,913
|
95.40
|
2,233
|
73.10
|
0
|
357
|
|
Hounslow
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Isle of Wight High Schools
|
1,521
|
1,480
|
97.00
|
1,453
|
95.50
|
0
|
135
|
|
Islington
|
1,512
|
1,512
|
96.00
|
1,083
|
73.00
|
74
|
225
|
|
Kensington and Chelsea
|
700
|
609
|
83.00
|
427
|
61.00
|
111
|
0
|
|
Kent
|
15,774
|
15,170
|
96.10
|
11,682
|
74.00
|
97
|
1,321
|
|
Kingston Upon Hull
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Kingston Upon Thames
|
1,446
|
1,352
|
92.00
|
875
|
60.00
|
22
|
51
|
|
Kirklees
|
4,773
|
4,773
|
100.00
|
4,150
|
86.90
|
0
|
517
|
|
Knowsley
|
2,210
|
2,086
|
94.40
|
1,852
|
88.78
|
0
|
0
|
|
Lambeth
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Lancashire
|
13,342
| |
98.00
| |
92.00
|
0
|
0
|
|
Leeds
|
8,132
|
7,657
|
94.20
|
6,704
|
82.40
|
0
|
0
|
|
Leicester City Council
|
3,371
|
3,210
|
95.20
|
2,888
|
85.70
|
177
|
323
|
|
Leicestershire
|
13,104
|
13,102
|
99.98
|
12,895
|
98.4
|
2
|
0
|
|
Lewisham
|
2,878
|
2,705
|
94.00
|
1,648
|
58.40
|
0
|
27
|
|
Lincolnshire
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Liverpool
|
5,933
|
5,429
|
92.00
|
4,629
|
78.02
|
0
|
0
|
|
Luton
|
2,423
|
2,280
|
94.00
|
2,009
|
83.00
|
0
|
145
|
|
Manchester
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Medway
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Merton
|
1,631
|
1,522
|
93.30
|
—
|
—
|
0
|
125
|
|
Middlesbrough
|
1,767
|
1,644
|
95.97
|
1,367
|
79.80
|
0
|
281
|
|
Milton Keynes
|
2,880
|
2,735
|
95.00
|
2,678
|
93.00
|
0
|
0
|
|
North Somerset
|
2,220
|
2,206
|
99.36
|
2,182
|
98.20
|
0
|
0
|
|
Newcastle
|
3,132
|
3,038
|
97.00
|
2,855
|
91.20
|
99
|
0
|
|
Newham
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Norfolk
|
11,018
|
10,698
|
95.60
|
10,143
|
90.60
|
16
|
1,479
|
|
North Lincolnshire
|
1,919
|
1,904
|
99.22
|
1,852
|
96.51
|
0
|
0
|
|
North East Lincolnshire
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
17 July 2007 : Column 331W
17 July 2007 : Column 332W
|
North Somerset
|
2,030
|
2,015
|
99.26
|
1,987
|
97.88
|
0
|
199
|
|
North Tyneside
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
North Yorkshire
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Northamptonshire
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Northumberland Middle to High
|
3,813
|
3,813
|
100.00
|
3,748
|
98.00
|
0
|
0
|
|
Nottingham City
|
2,790
|
2,720
|
97.49
|
2,493
|
89.35
|
50
|
904
|
|
Nottinghamshire
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Oldham
|
3,116
|
3,018
|
96.80
|
2,835
|
91.00
|
98
|
232
|
|
Oxfordshire
|
6,242
|
6,130
|
98.20
|
5,675
|
90.92
|
0
|
664
|
|
Peterborough
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Plymouth
|
2,703
|
2,658
|
98.34
|
2,549
|
94.30
|
0
|
376
|
|
Pools
|
1,117
|
1,097
|
92.00
|
1,053
|
88.00
|
23
|
196
|
|
Portsmouth
|
1,764
|
1,739
|
98.69
|
1,665
|
94.49
|
0
|
293
|
|
Reading
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Redbridge
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Redcar and Cleveland
|
1,660
|
1,607
|
97.00
|
1,555
|
94.00
|
0
|
254
|
|
Richmond
|
1,393
|
1,236
|
89.00
|
924
|
66.00
|
86
|
0
|
|
Rochdale
|
2,732
|
2,715
|
99.37
|
2,570
|
94.07
|
0
|
511
|
|
Rotherham
|
3,486
|
3,444
|
98.80
|
3,326
|
95.40
|
0
|
268
|
|
Rutland
|
294
|
292
|
99.30
|
278
|
94.50
| |
26
|
|
Salford
|
2,353
|
2,276
|
97.00
|
2,096
|
87.00
|
53
|
0
|
|
Sandwell
|
4,153
|
4,025
|
96.61
|
3,181
|
76.59
|
0
|
0
|
|
Sefton
|
3,229
|
3,021
|
95.90
|
2,851
|
90.91
|
0
|
427
|
|
Sheffield
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Shropshire
|
3,123
|
3,081
|
98.60
|
2,877
|
92.00
|
0
|
0
|
|
Slough
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Solihull
|
2,621
|
2,591
|
99.00
|
2,101
|
80.00
|
0
|
0
|
|
Somerset
|
4,362
|
4,079
|
93.51
|
4,079
|
93.51
|
198
|
496
|
|
South Gloucestershire
|
2,958
|
2,928
|
98.90
|
2,828
|
95.60
|
*
|
298
|
|
South Tyneside
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Southampton
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Southend
|
1,974
|
1,911
|
96.80
|
1,239
|
64.83
|
63
|
111
|
|
Southwark
|
2,537
|
910
|
86.80
|
1,267
|
51.00
|
0
|
82
|
|
Staffordshire
|
10,905
|
10,580
|
97.02
|
10,192
|
97.20
|
325
|
0
|
|
St. Helens
|
2,011
|
2,000
|
99.45
|
1,938
|
96.37
|
0
|
156
|
|
Stockport
|
3,129
|
3,014
|
96.30
|
2,684
|
85.70
|
0
|
12
|
|
Stockton
|
1,276
|
1,276
|
100.00
|
1,276
|
100.00
|
18
|
346
|
|
Stoke on Trent
|
2,720
|
2,661
|
98.00
|
2,504
|
93.20
|
59
|
0
|
|
Suffolk
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Sunderland
|
2,488
|
2,373
|
95.00
|
2,252
|
91.00
|
0
|
0
|
|
Surrey
|
11,185
|
10,481
|
94.00
|
9,358
|
84.00
|
0
|
249
|
|
Sutton
|
2,105
|
2,019
|
94.00
|
1,382
|
65.00
|
33
|
0
|
|
Swindon
|
2,466
|
2,390
|
97.00
|
2,334
|
95.00
|
0
|
199
|
|
Tameside
|
3,120
|
2,997
|
96.05
|
2,740
|
87.82
|
0
|
95
|
|
Telford and Wrekin
|
2,011
|
1,967
|
97.81
|
1,812
|
90.10
|
0
|
308
|
|
Thurrock
|
1,868
|
1,838
|
98.00
|
1,662
|
89.00
|
0
|
78
|
|
Torbay
|
1,618
|
1,511
|
93.00
|
1,333
|
82.40
|
0
|
138
|
|
Tower Hamlets
|
