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Class Sizes
Mr. Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on average class sizes in primary and secondary schools in the Leicestershire local education authority from 1992 to the most recent year for which figures are available. [18504]
John Healey: Information on average class sizes in maintained primary and secondary schools in Leicestershire local education authority area is shown in the table.
n/a = Not applicable
(51) Classes taught by one teacher
(52) As a result of local government reorganisation in April 1997, Leicestershire local education authority divided to form the following local education authorities: Leicestershire, Leicester city and Rutland
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Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if data showing the average class sizes in (a) individual primary and (b) individual secondary schools (i) are and (ii) could practically be made available centrally to her Department. [18267]
John Healey: Information about class sizes has been collected from maintained primary and secondary schools as part of the Annual Schools Census in January for over 20 years. In order to provide a true representation of the sizes of classes experienced by children, each school is randomly allocated a specific time on the census day at which class sizes should be reported. The current collection asks for the number of pupils, teachers and teaching assistants in the class at the appropriate time and also for its Key Stage and National Curriculum Year Group. The activity in which the class is engaged is also requested.
The September Class Size Count is a separate collection started in 1998, introduced to monitor class sizes at Key Stage one. The statistical method used is the same as in the January Census, but, in order to lessen the burden on schools, information is collected only from primary schools and about classes where the majority of children will reach the appropriate age during the school
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year. The information required about each class in September 2001 was the number of pupils, teachers and teaching assistants and the activity in which the class was engaged and, for classes of 31 or more, the number of excepted pupils.
Information on individual schools is not normally published. Where individual school information is published as in the School Performance tables, the information is first checked with the schools concerned.
Asset Management Plans
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 15 November 2001, Official Report, column 866W, on asset management plans, if she will place a copy of the results in the Library. [18334]
John Healey: A copy of the results was placed in the Library on 30 November.
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Wiltshire Schools
Dr. Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the state of the fabric of Wiltshire schools. [18414]
John Healey: Detailed information on the condition of school buildings in Wiltshire should be currently available from the Local Education Authority.
The Department plans to publish information on the national condition needs of schools at the end of this month, based on data collected as part of the Department's arrangements for appraising asset management plans.
Sixth Forms
Mr. Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school sixth forms there are with (a) 50 and (b) 100 or fewer pupils in each local learning and skills council. [18430]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 29 November 2001]: The Learning and Skills Council will be responsible for the funding of school sixth forms from April next year.
The information requested is contained in the following table.
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Research Assessment
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to assess the parameters of the Research Assessment Exercise. [19460]
Margaret Hodge: The operation of the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise will be reviewed by the Higher Education Funding Council for England and the other UK funding bodies after the exercise has been completed. The current review of higher education announced by the Secretary of State on 22 October is considering research more generally.
Community Colleges
Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many UK students are studying at (a) the European Union Institute, Florence and (b) at Community colleges of a similar nature; what subjects they are studying; and if she will make a statement. [19599]
Margaret Hodge: In the 2001–02 academic year, my Department is supporting 16 English and Welsh students (six of whom are in their second year of study) at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence. In addition the Scottish Executive and the Northern Ireland Assembly support two students. EUI students undertake study and research in one of four departments; Economics, Law, History and Civilisation or Political and Social Sciences. Most of these students are undertaking a three year doctorate, but there are some students who undertake a one year Masters in Law.
There are two other European institutions where students are supported by my Department. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate arrangements. Fifteen students are supported at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium and Natolin, Poland. Students follow a one year course and enrol in one of four departments; Economics, Human Resource Development, Political Sciences or Administrative Sciences. All follow a compulsory programme of European General and Interdisciplinary Studies.
In addition two students are supported at the Bologna Center, part of John Hopkins University, in Bologna, Italy. Students study an interdisciplinary course, including a modern language, International Economics, International Relations and European Studies.
The Government are keen to see greater collaborative links between Higher Education Institutions across Europe, both by encouraging EU students to study in the UK and by funding students at the three institutions to which this question refers.
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