ABSTRACT
The 1992 White Paper claimed to offer increased 'choice and diversity' within a new quasi-market of schools. The main way in which this diversity was to be encouraged on the supply side of the market was through sponsored grant-maintained schools. New grant-maintained schools were to be provided through the activities of sponsor groups or by the Governors of existing private schools bringing their schools into the state system. In practice, by the time of the 1997 General Election, the reality looked very different. Although there were a fair number of initial enquiries from potential sponsors and existing private schools, very few of these enquiries have developed into firm proposals. Most potential sponsors have presumably found the constraints and demands made on them too great for them to accept, and have not be able and/or prepared to proceed. The cases of Oak Hill and the proposed Exmoor school show that funding was a major issue.
