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Special Educational Needs

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in each of the last five years

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were excluded from sitting SATS because they were (a) statemented for special educational needs or (b) in the process of being assessed for special educational needs. [7257]

Mr. Timms [holding answer 15 October 2001]: The national curriculum test and teacher assessments are designed to allow as many pupils as possible to have access to them. There may, however, be a small number of pupils who are unable to take part in some or all of the assessments. In such instances the national curriculum and/or the tests and teacher assessments may be disapplied for a particular pupil. Pupils may be disapplied through a statement of special educational needs or because they are awaiting an assessment of special educational needs. However, there may be other circumstances where it is necessary to disapply pupils temporarily (for example, pupils recently arrived from a different educational system who require a period of adjustment).

The national curriculum test and teacher assessment results information collected for disapplied pupils includes the total number of pupils disapplied in each subject at each key stage. This information does not differentiate between pupils with statements of special educational needs, those in the process of being assessed or between long term and temporary disapplication.

The following table provides information on the total number of pupils disapplied in each subject at Key Stages 1–3 in each of the last five years (1996–2001). Figures rounded to the nearest hundred.

	Key Stage 1			Key Stage 2			Key Stage 3
	Reading	Writing	Maths	English	Maths	Science	English	Maths	Science
1997	2,600	2,600	2,500	1,900	1,700	1,700	1,200	800	1,000
1998	2,500	2,600	2,500	2,800	2,500	2,400	1,700	1,100	1,300
1999	2,500	2,500	2,400	2,300	2,000	2,000	2,000	1,400	1,700
2000	2,400	2,500	2,400	2,800	2,500	2,400	3,600	1,400	1,700
2001	2,500	2,600	2,500	3,400	2,900	2,800	3,300	1,700	2,000

AS-Levels

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will publish further details of the revised arrangements for AS-level examinations and assessment in the academic year. [7261]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: On Wednesday 12 September 2001 the Secretary of State announced the new changes to the AS examination timetable and assessment as part of the review of the A-level reforms. The Joint Council for General Qualifications (JCGQ) sent information about the changes to all schools and colleges on 12 September. Information on the arrangements can also be found on awarding bodies' and Joint Council's websites. The Joint Council will issue more detailed information on 17 October.

Literacy and Numeracy Targets

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her Department's targets are for literacy

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and numeracy levels at age 11 in each of the next five years; and what steps she proposes to take if those targets are not reached. [7280]

Mr. Timms [holding answer 15 October 2001]: The targets for 2002 are for 80 per cent. of 11-year-olds to achieve the expected standard in literacy and 75 per cent. in numeracy. We are currently consulting schools on raising these targets to 85 per cent. in both English and maths for 2004. We are not at present proposing targets beyond 2004. We are confident that these challenging targets can be achieved.

Emotional Intelligence

Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make the development of emotional intelligence part of the national curriculum; and if she will make a statement. [7298]

Mr. Timms: The development of emotional intelligence is already covered in the National Curriculum as part of the Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) framework. The framework has been in place since September 2000 for pupils aged five to 16 and was introduced to support the personal and social development of young people in today's complex and changing world. PSHE enables pupils to develop their self-esteem, confidence and well being. It also helps pupils to appreciate the effect of their actions on their own lives and the lives of others, and to understand the limits and codes of personal and social behaviour. Good PSHE in schools supports parents in helping their children to develop the ability to make informed, healthy and responsible decisions about their lives.

The National Healthy School Standard (NHSS), which was launched in October 1999, has as one of its specific themes 'Emotional Health and Well-being', which includes awareness of mental health issues. The Standard is delivered as an integral part of the Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) framework in schools.

School Exclusions

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many exclusions from schools relating to drug-related incidents there were in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Staffordshire in the last three years. [7343]

Mr. Timms: The information requested on drug related exclusions in respect of England is not collected centrally.

The latest permanent exclusions data were published on 19 July in a Statistical First Release 'Permanent Exclusions from Schools, England 1999–2000 (final)', copies of which are available from the Library, or alternatively can be accessed from the Department for Education and Skills statistical website www.dfes.gov.uk/ statistics.

Exclusions in Scotland and Wales are a devolved matter and therefore matters for the Scottish Executive and National Assembly for Wales respectively.

Neighbourhood Support Fund

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment has been made of the results of the Neighbourhood Support Fund. [7381]

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Mr. Ivan Lewis: The first of the Neighbourhood Support Fund (NSF) projects went live in spring 2000. The 653 community based projects have worked with almost 17,000 of the hardest to help young people. Recent evaluation of the programme by an independent research organisation shows that one third of leavers had moved on to education, training or employment with training. A further one in 10 had gone on to a local programme, including the Learning Gateway or the New Deal.

The next phase of the evaluation will draw on the experiences and perceptions of the young people participating in the projects. This will help to inform future strategies for engaging the hardest to help young people.

The stage 2 report will be published in the spring.

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to extend the Neighbourhood Support Fund; and if she will make a statement. [7382]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: A total of £60 million was made available to the Neighbourhood Support Fund spread over three years. The current programme comes to an end in September 2003 and Ministers have yet to decide whether NSF will extend beyond this date, and if so in what form. Any future levels of funding will be addressed and agreed as part of the Year 2002 Spending Review.

The current NSF projects are due to finish in September 2003. I am considering the future shape, design and delivery of NSF and where it sits in the context of the Connexions Service.

Morning-after Pill

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the maintained schools in which the morning-after pill is dispensed to pupils. [7484]

Mr. Timms [holding answer 15 October 2001]: This information is not held centrally.

The incidence of the morning-after pill being dispensed in maintained schools is low. We would not normally expect school nurses to issue contraception or emergency contraception. In the few cases where they have done, this should be made clear in the school's sex and relationship education policy, which has to be agreed with parents. These arrangements should not proceed until parents have been consulted.

Examination Results

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of 15 year old pupils achieved five or more (a) grade A*—A at GCSE/GNVQ in (i) comprehensive schools, (ii) grammar schools and (iii) secondary modern schools and (b) grades A*—B at GCSE/GNVQ in (i) comprehensive schools, (ii) grammar schools and (iii) secondary modern schools. [7498]

Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 15 October 2001]: In 1999–2000 the percentage of 15 year old pupils who achieved five or more (a) grade A*—A at GCSE/GNVQ in (i) comprehensive schools, (ii) selective schools and

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(iii) secondary modern schools and (b) grades A*—B at GCSE/GNVQ in (i) comprehensive schools, (ii) selective schools and (iii) secondary modern schools was:

Percentage of 15 year old pupils achieving 5 or more grades:

	(a) A*—A	(b) A*—B
Comprehensive schools	8.3	22.7
Selective schools	47.9	82.6
Secondary modern schools	2.1	10.6
England	11.8	27.1

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