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Chorlton School

Volume 203: debated on Monday 10 February 1992

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To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, further to his answer of 13 January, Official Report, column 449, if he will detail the steps taken by the Secretary of State to expedite the matters regarding Chorlton school between 25 July and 30 September and between 30 September and 5 December; when he became aware that the pupil in question had already commenced her secondary school career; and if he will publish the information provided by Manchester local education authority that led him to conclude that he did not need to issue a formal directive to the school.

Officials wrote to the chairman of governors of Chorlton school on 22 July, asking the school to comply with Trafford LEA's request for information and saying that if the governing body failed without good reason to meet this request, the Secretary of State would be minded to direct it to do so. Because of the holiday period, the full governing body did not meet to consider the issue until 10 September. Since the governors did not agree at that meeting to provide the necessary information, my right hon. and learned Friend decided to require them to do so by issuing a direction under section 68 of the Education Act 1944.The issue of direction was delayed because the Manchester LEA told officials at a meeting on 4 October that it planned to discuss the case with the governors on 9 October. Immediately after the 9 October meeting, solicitors acting for the governors asked for a full list of the pupils concerned, and confirmed on 21 October that the necessary information would be supplied to Trafford. However, despite repeated requests from the Department, the information was not forthcoming, and my right hon. and learned Friend issued his direction on 5 December. The information requested has now been supplied and Trafford hopes to consider outstanding cases within the next fortnight.My right hon. and learned Friend was not informed that the hon. Member's constituent was already attending secondary school, although it is common in complex admission cases for pupils to attend school pending the final outcome of their appeal.