To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what documentation was made available to Graham Badman on Gloucestershire county council's proposals on Vale of Berkeley College for his evaluation of National Challenge Schools in Gloucestershire. (310390)

DCSF officials gave Graham Badman the minutes from previous local national challenge board meetings. Vale of Berkeley college was discussed at these meetings. Graham Badman also had written information directly from Gloucestershire county council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether his Department has agreed to the request of Gloucestershire county council to extend the period of consultation on its proposed closure of Vale of Berkeley College. (310391)

I can confirm that the Department has not received a request from Gloucestershire county council to extend the period of consultation on its proposed closure of the Vale of Berkeley college. The statutory process for the proposed closure of a school is a matter for the local authority. A five stage statutory process must be followed for school closures, with each stage informing the next.

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what discussions took place between his Department and Gloucestershire county council on the format of the council's consultation on the proposed closure of Vale of Berkeley college. (310392)

I can confirm that no discussions took place between the Department and Gloucestershire county council on the format of the council's consultation which proposes to close the Vale of Berkeley college. School closure is, and remains, a matter for a local authority. A five stage statutory process must be followed for school closures, with each stage informing the next.

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when his Department was first informed of Gloucestershire county council's proposals with regard to Vale of Berkeley college. (310393)

Gloucestershire county council submitted its draft implementation plan in response to Graham Badman's review of national challenge progress in Gloucestershire on the 11 November 2009. The plan stated that Gloucestershire county council accepted Graham Badman's recommendation to close Vale of Berkeley college from September 2010, subject to statutory proposals and consultation.