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Secondary Schools (Ofsted Inspections)
7. Mr. Clive Efford (Eltham): What guidance is given to Ofsted inspectors regarding short inspections of secondary schools. [123339]
The Minister for School Standards (Ms Estelle Morris): The guidance given to inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education will depend on the purpose of the inspection. Some schools are inspected because they are subject to special measures or have serious weaknesses; others may be visited to check the progress that they are making. As part of the regular cycle of inspections, more flexibility has recently been introduced so that effective schools are inspected less often and resources can be directed to those that are less effective.
Mr. Efford: My right hon. Friend is aware of the anger felt by teachers, parents and the local education authority in my area following a short inspection by Her Majesty's inspectorate of one of the largest secondary schools in the country. Would she care to say how schools can plan ahead with any confidence if HMI fails to abide by the minimum standards set out in a document published in January? I have a copy here.
Does my right hon. Friend agree that there are far-reaching implications for schools throughout the country? Would she care to respond to letters sent to her by me, and by the leader of the local education authority? Will she support demands for an annual debate in the House on the activities of Ofsted, so that the House can impose some accountability on the organisation?
Ms Morris: I do understand. My hon. Friend has spoken to me a number of times, and also to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, about the feelings of
staff at Crown Woods school. I think that my hon. Friend has acted properly, and that the school has acted properly. In the first instance, the school wrote to Her Majesty's chief inspector. We have made it clear to the school that it has the right to go to the adjudicator, Elaine Rassaby--a woman appointed under this Government so that schools have access to a second opinion.Two things are now important: first, that the school follows the proper processes, but secondly--I say it in the kindest way--that staff at the school do not let their anger detract from their core job, which is raising standards. I trust that they will not do that. We should await the response and see what happens.
On the accountability of Ofsted, as my hon. Friend knows, the Select Committee on Education and Employment almost annually now interviews HMCI and, on more than one occasion, the Committee's report has been debated on the Floor of the House. I welcome that and hope that it will continue.
Mr. Ian Bruce (South Dorset): What advice is the Minister giving to inspectors about exclusions in schools? Many schools that are failing have a lot of disruptive pupils, yet head teachers tell me that, for budgetary reasons, they are scared of moving those pupils out of school because, as soon as they do so, they lose the bonus given by the Government for keeping disruptive pupils in school, disrupting other children's education.
Ms Morris: Schools do not lose money for excluding children. Under the present Government, for the first time, money that used to be kept by the local authority in case children were excluded and had to be educated elsewhere is devolved to schools--more money to schools, rather than to the local authority. That is what we have done. It makes sense, if we give money to schools to ensure that children are not excluded and a child is then excluded, that the money goes with the child so that the child can be educated. That is exactly right.
I would be surprised if any school in the hon. Gentleman's constituency had been told by Ofsted inspectors that it should not be excluding children, but it is right that, when Ofsted inspectors go in, they look at the range of provision in the school. That will include looking at those children at risk of exclusion and ensuring that the school has a proper discipline policy.
Just so that there is no mistake--because there has been much mischief making and headline grabbing this week by the Leader of the Opposition--I believe that every hon. Member is united: our clear message to parents, teachers and pupils is that, where a child's behaviour is such that it distracts other students from learning, the head has every right to exclude that child from the school, so that others can get on with learning and teachers can get on with teaching.
Secondary Schools (Specialisms)
8. Mr. Phil Hope (Corby): If he will make a statement on the development of specialisms in secondary schools. [123340]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Employment (Jacqui Smith): Under the Government's specialist schools programme, schools can
specialise in one of four areas. Specialist school numbers have more than doubled since 1997, with just over 500 specialist schools operating from September this year. Those schools are continuing to prove their effectiveness in raising standards: the average percentage of pupils achieving five or more GCSE A* to C in 1999 compared with 1998 improved by two thirds as much again in specialist schools, compared with all other schools.
Mr. Hope: I am glad that my hon. Friend agrees that specialist schools have a vital role to play in raising standards and in increasing diversity. My particular reason for raising the question is that we are creating a fresh-start school in Corby--Corby community college. It is about to head off into a brand new future, building on the success of two other schools that have merged. It will really help that school to make a fresh start if it becomes an arts and media specialist school, to match the technology school that we already have in Corby. When that application comes in, will my hon. Friend give it sympathetic consideration, so that every child in Corby gets the best possible start to their education?
Jacqui Smith: My hon. Friend is a strong and persistent advocate for schools in his constituency, and I am sure that he will continue to be. I offer my best wishes to staff and students of the newly formed Corby community college as they take forward the important job of raising standards for their children.
My hon. Friend is right--one of the important points about applying for specialist school status, which is increasingly popular among schools, is that, in producing a development plan that shows how the school intends to raise standards and to benefit the wider community, the focus on that activity itself helps to raise standards. I assure him that, as always, we will consider any forthcoming applications very carefully.
Mrs. Theresa May (Maidenhead): Grammar schools specialise in academic excellence. What is the Minister's definition of a "pretty standard" grammar school? Will she confirm, as a matter of fact, that Blackheath high school has never been one?
Jacqui Smith: That question confirms our view that the Opposition's attention is based on a few schools, whereas our attention is based on raising standards in all schools. The Conservatives have a shadow Minister for grammar schools. I understand, from reading The Birmingham Post, that they now have a Conservative candidate who calls himself the Midland's spokesman on grammar schools. I think that it is about time that the Opposition concentrated on all the schools in this country, and all the children in this country, as the Government intend to do.
New Technologies (Access)
9. Mr. Phil Sawford (Kettering): What action he is taking to combat social inequality in access to new technologies among learners. [123342]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Employment (Mr. Michael Wills): We are taking steps to ensure that, in future, every school leaver will have the opportunity to use and develop
competence in those new technologies. They are essential, and we have to ensure that not only those pupils who are fortunate enough to have a computer at home are able to use them. Two out of three people in socio-economic groups A and B have access to a computer at home, whereas only one in five of those in socio-economic groups D and E have access.We are making good progress in improving computer:pupil ratios and internet access in schools. In 1997, only one primary school in six had access to the internet; today, about two thirds do. Every school in the country will have access by 2002. We are also taking action to ensure access for adults. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has given a commitment that, by 2005, all those who want it will have the opportunity to access the internet.
We are establishing about 700 computer learning centres to serve the country's 2,000 most deprived wards, and 50,000 free computer training courses are being made available to jobless--[Interruption.] I think that Conservative Members would like--[Interruption.]
Madam Speaker: Order. Has the Minister finished?
Mr. Wills: Madam Speaker, with your permission, I have not quite finished. We are taking important initiatives--[Interruption.]
Madam Speaker: Order. We have reached only Question 9, and I deprecate that we are not making better progress. We have had long questions, and we have had very long answers from Ministers. Will the Minister now bring his answer to a conclusion?
Mr. Wills: I am happy to return to the subject in the future, Madam Speaker.
Mr. Sawford: I thank my hon. Friend for that answer and welcome his commitment to gaining the widest access to information technology. He clearly demonstrated that commitment on a recent visit to my constituency. I very much welcome his comments on the serious issue of the digital divide between those young people who have access to computers at home and those who do not. What further action can we take to encourage industry to tackle that social exclusion, and how can we monitor the effectiveness of the Government's initiatives to bring computers to those who are the many and not the few?
Mr. Wills: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for re-emphasising the importance of tackling the digital divide. We are working with the private sector to do precisely that. I know that Conservative Members have absolutely no interest in those essential new technologies. They have proposed absolutely no policies whatsoever on them, and have demonstrated their complete lack of concern with bringing those opportunities to everyone in the United Kingdom, other than to a privileged few. They have continued to demonstrate that attitude today. The Government, however, will continue to ensure that everyone has access to those opportunities.
Mr. Nigel Evans (Ribble Valley): The Minister mentioned that some schools are now kitted out with internet-capable computers. I represent a partly urban and
partly rural constituency, where there are people who simply cannot afford to have their own computers at home or to pay online charges, even with reduced costs. What steps will he take to ensure that, when the school day ends at 3.30 pm, all those schools with computers will be opened to young people and adults so that they can access the computers?
Mr. Wills: I am glad that at least one Conservative Member recognises the importance of the matter, and I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for acknowledging that. We particularly understand that it is sometimes difficult for schools in rural areas to have access. That is why my hon. Friends in the Department of Trade and Industry have been pushing forward development of broadband wireless as a means of accessing the internet. I think that such access will be particularly valuable for schools in the hon. Gentleman's constituency. We also have a range of initiatives designed to help schools stay open longer, so that they can provide access to those technologies in schools to the whole community. We are encouraging applications, from all communities that serve deprived areas, for new computer learning centres. I hope that there will be some applications from the hon. Gentleman's constituency.
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