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Primary Schools

Mr. George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what was the average funding per pupil provided to (a) primary schools in Cheshire, (b) secondary schools in Cheshire, (c) primary schools in Hertfordshire, (d) secondary schools in Hertfordshire, (e) primary schools in England and (f) secondary schools in England in the last financial year. [11079]

Mr. Timms: The information requested is as follows:

£ million

PrimarySecondary
Cheshire1,9032,532
Hertfordshire1,9262,639
England2,0102,663

The figures do not include School Standards Grant.


8 Nov 2001 : Column: 406W

GCSE Results

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the 100 secondary schools with the worst GCSE examination results in England in order of their performance indicating in each case the responsible local education authority; and if she will make a statement. [11483]

Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 5 November 2001]: The Department will publish 2001 GCSE (and GNVQ equivalent) results for schools in England in the secondary school performance tables on 22 November.

The White Paper "Schools Achieving Success" describes the programme of challenge and support designed to ensure that in all schools at least 25 per cent. of pupils should achieve 5 A*-C grades at GCSE (or equivalent) by 2006. Many of the schools currently below this target are working in deprived areas and adding considerable value given the prior attainment of their intake. We are working with schools and LEAs to identify what support is needed to deliver equality of outcome for their pupils.

Local Education Authorities

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the local education authorities which are (a) partly and (b) wholly run by private sector entities; which they are; and if she will make a statement. [11487]

Mr. Timms [holding answer 5 November 2001]: There are 10 interventions that involve private sector companies delivering services or functions under contract. The LEAs still remain responsible and accountable for the services in question.






8 Nov 2001 : Column: 407W







State Schools (Private Firms)

Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which state schools in England have had their management taken over by private firms. [11535]

Mr. Timms [holding answer 31 October 2001]: None. The legal responsibility for managing a school rests with the governing body and head teacher, even where they are supported by expertise from the private sector.

Free School Meals

Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of children, on average, were receiving free school meals in (a) specialist schools and (b) other secondary schools in the state sector, on 30 September. [11539]

Mr. Timms [holding answer 31 October 2001]: Free school meals data are not available for September.

The percentages of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals in specialist secondary schools and other maintained secondary schools as at January 2001 are 14.7 per cent. and 16.2 per cent. respectively, and in those specialist secondary schools designated between January and October 2001 is 15.9 per cent.

Independent School Fees

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent representations she has received on her policy relating to the provision of support towards the cost of independent school fees by her Department. [12005]

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Mr. Timms [holding answer 2 November 2001]: Earlier this year I received representations from the Independent Schools Council and others on proposals for more open access to independent schools. Their proposals sought Government assistance to subsidise the cost of school fees that could not be met by children's parents. However, the Government have a manifesto commitment from 1997 to phase out the Assisted Places Scheme (APS) and to use the available resources to raise standards and enhance opportunities for children in maintained schools. Savings from phasing out the APS are going towards the significant reduction in infant class sizes, as demonstrated in the achievements of the past four years. Any new scheme that would assist relatively few children to attend independent schools would be incompatible with the long-standing commitment to phase out APS.

Teachers

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 26 October 2001, Official Report, columns 469–70W, on teacher recruitment, what was the allocation of the recruitment and retention fund, 2000–01 to each local education authority. [12155]

Mr. Timms: A press notice (PN 2001/0191) announcing the details of the fund and the allocations to local education authorities was issued on 2 April 2001. A copy can be found on the departmental website www.dfes.gov.uk.

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her written answer of 26 October 2001, Official Report, column 461W, on teachers, if she will list the (a) age profile and (b) reasons for leaving of the teachers leaving service in the maintained schools in each of the last four academic years. [12172]

Mr. Timms: Qualified full and part-time regular teachers (headcount) who left service in the maintained schools sector in England are as follows:

1996–97
Age at end of financial yearAge retirementIll-health retirementPremature retirementAll retirementsLeft for reasons other than retirement
Less than 250(29)0(29)400
25 to 290(29)0(29)3,600
30 to 340(29)0(29)3,300
35 to 39010001002,600
40 to 44040004003,200
45 to 4901,20001,2003,200
50 to 5401,8004,5006,3001,700
55 to 59(29)1,1004,5005,600700
60 and over1,7001001,3003,200200
Total1,7004,80010,30016,80018,900

(29) less than 50


1997–98
Age at end of financial yearAge retirementIll-health retirementPremature retirementAll retirementsLeft for reasons other than retirement
Less than 250000500
25 to 290(30)0(30)4,100
30 to 340(30)0(30)3,900
35 to 39010001002,900
40 to 44030003003,700
45 to 490800(30)8004,200
50 to 5401,3005,6006,9002,300
55 to 5908004,5005,200800
60 and over1,9001001,1003,100300
Total1,9003,40011,20016,60022,600

(30) less than 50


8 Nov 2001 : Column: 409W

1998–99
Age at end of financial yearAge retirementIll-health retirementPremature retirementAll retirementsLeft for reasons other than retirement
Less than 250000500
25 to 290(31)0(31)4,600
30 to 340(31)0(31)4,000
35 to 390(31)0(31)2,900
40 to 44020002003,300
45 to 49060006004,100
50 to 5401,0001,3002,2002,800
55 to 5905001,7002,1001,100
60 and over1,9001008002,900300
Total1,9002,3003,8008,00023,700

(31) less than 50


1999–2000
Age at end of financial yearAge retirementIll-health retirementPremature retirementAll retirementsLeft for reasons other than retirement
Less than 250000500
25 to 2900004,700
30 to 340(32)0(32)4,300
35 to 390(32)0(32)3,400
40 to 44010001003,500
45 to 490500(32)5004,500
50 to 5401,0001,3002,2003,600
55 to 5906002,0002,6001,400
60 and over2,3001009003,300300
Total2,3002,3004,3008,80026,200

(32) less than 50


The totals may not be the sum of the component parts due to rounding.

The most recent data available are for March 2000.

The figures exclude 10 per cent. to 20 per cent. of part- time teachers not included on the Teacher Pension Scheme records.

The reasons for leaving cannot be broken down accurately into any additional categories.

Some teachers who left service will return subsequently.


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