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Student Costs
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the number of potential students, broken down by social class, who were deterred from applying for a university place in 2001 because of the financial cost they might incur. [38787]
Margaret Hodge: The Youth Cohort Study shows that around nine in 10 young people who achieve two or more A-levels by 18 progress to Higher Education by the time they are 21. The differences in participation rates between different social classes largely reflect differences in prior attainment. A research study into the factors affecting participation in HE by different social class groups (which focused on those with, or seeking to get, entry-level qualifications) found that finance is one of a number of concerns people had when they were deciding whether or not to attend university. However, among those who had decided against going to university the main reasons were not related to the likely costs involved but because they wanted to start work or because they did not need a higher education qualification for their chosen career.
Student Guidance
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what type of guidance on available funding is offered to (a) students applying for university places and (b) current university students; and who offers this guidance. [38788]
Margaret Hodge: My Department produces an annual guide to the financial help available to students. Copies of this guide are made available directly to local education authorities (LEAs), higher education institutions (HEIs), and the booklet is also available on the Department's website.
Separate booklets are also produced for disabled students and those with children.
As part of our current marketing campaign to increase awareness of higher education among 13 to 19-year-olds we have produced booklets for pupils on student finance.
LEAs, schools, HEIs, my Department and a range of other advisers also provide advice and guidance to students on financial support.
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what responsibility institutes of higher education have for offering guidance to students on matters relating to (a) funding available to them and (b) managing their personal budgets. [38789]
Margaret Hodge: Individual higher education institutions make their own arrangements for providing guidance to students. The Department, together with the Higher Education Funding Council for England, Universities UK and the Standing Conference of Principals is undertaking a project looking at the range of student services provided by institutions. The objective is to identify effective approaches in helping students especially those who are at risk. The project is due to report in the summer.
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Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment she has made of the arrangements for offering guidance to students applying for higher education courses on funding available to them. [38792]
Margaret Hodge: Each year my Department undertakes an independent survey of the information and guidance it produces on the funding available to higher education students. This survey informs the design and production of future financial support information materials. The most recent survey was carried out in November and December 2001.
Financial Literacy
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if the student funding review is examining measures to improve financial literacy among higher education students. [38790]
Margaret Hodge: The Government are not currently examining measures to improve financial literacy among higher education students.
Pupil Attainment
Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of 11 year olds in maintained schools achieved the standard of (a) literacy and (b) numeracy for that age in each year since 1997. [38801]
Mr. Timms: The table shows the number and percentage of pupils in maintained mainstream schools in England who achieved Level 4 or above in the (a) English and (b) mathematics Key Stage 2 tests in each year from 1997 to 2001.
The table confirms that the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have succeeded in raising standards in primary schools.
| (a) English | (b) Mathematics | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | ||
| Number at Level 4 or above(3) | 360,200 | 353,100 |
| Percentage of eligible pupils | 63 | 62 |
| 1998 | ||
| Number at Level 4 or above(3) | 377,800 | 341,200 |
| Percentage of eligible pupils | 65 | 58 |
| 1999 | ||
| Number at Level 4 or above(3) | 424,500 | 415,600 |
| Percentage of eligible pupils | 70 | 69 |
| 2000 | ||
| Number at Level 4 or above(3) | 446,100 | 427,000 |
| Percentage of eligible pupils | 75 | 72 |
| 2001 | ||
| Number at Level 4 or above(3) | 453,900 | 427,300 |
| Percentage of eligible pupils | 75 | 71 |
(3) Numbers are rounded to the nearest 100.
Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what percentages her Department has set for pupils to achieve level 4 at Key Stage 2 tests in (a) English and (b) maths; and what target dates her Department has set for these targets to be met; [38804]
- (2) what further targets her Department plans to set in relation to the commitment to increase the percentage of
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- children who achieve level 4 in each of the Key Stage 2 English and maths. [38805]
Mr. Timms: We remain committed to achieving our Key Stage 2 targets for 2002, which are for 80 per cent. of pupils to achieve level 4 or above in English and 75 per cent. to do so in maths.
We recently consulted on higher targets for 2004 of 85 per cent. of pupils achieving level 4 or above in English and maths and 35 per cent. achieving level 5 or above. We are considering responses to the consultation carefully and expect to make an announcement about the national targets shortly.
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Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of pupils have reached level 5 in Key Stage 3 in (a) English, (b) maths, (c) ICT and (d) science in each year since 1997. [38808]
Mr. Timms: The table shows the number and percentage of pupils in all schools in England who achieved Level 5 or above in the (a) English, (b) mathematics, (c) ICT and (d) science Key Stage 3 assessments in each year from 1997 to 2001.
The Key Stage 3 National Strategy, just begun, will support schools in raising standards in the early years of secondary education and improving on these figures.
| (a) English | (b) Mathematics | (c) ICT(4) | (d) Science | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Number at Level 5 or above(5) | 315,600 | 332,500 | 232,000 | 331,800 |
| Percentage of eligible pupils | 57 | 60 | 50 | 60 | |
| 1998 | Number of Level 5 or above(5) | 358,000 | 331,600 | 242,000 | 310,500 |
| Percentage of eligible pupils | 65 | 59 | 56 | 56 | |
| 1999 | Number at Level 5 or above(5) | 365,700 | 358,400 | 315,700 | 315,200 |
| Percentage of eligible pupils | 64 | 62 | 58 | 55 | |
| 2000 | Number at Level 5 or above(5) | 369,800 | 376,300 | 341,200 | 343,800 |
| Percentage of eligible pupils | 64 | 65 | 62 | 59 | |
| 2001 | Number at Level 5 or above(5) | 382,600 | 394,600 | 357,100 | 390,000 |
| Percentage of eligible pupils | 65 | 66 | 65 | 66 |
Notes:
(4) The ICT results are based on Teacher Assessments; English, maths and science are based on the test results.
(5) The numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred.
Sixth Forms
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the proportion of pupils proceeding into higher education from (a) schools with sixth forms and (b) schools without sixth forms in each of the last three years. [38860]
Margaret Hodge [holding answer 28 February 2002]: The available information is given in the table, showing the previous educational institution of students accepted for entry to full-time undergraduate courses via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). However, it is not possible to identify the type of school that a student attended prior to entering higher education from a further education college. Therefore, the categories of institution shown do not equate directly to (a) schools with sixth forms and (b) schools without sixth forms.
Not all students who enter higher education do so directly after leaving full-time education at age 18; for example, some spend a period in employment before returning to study, and others take a gap year to broaden their experience. Around a third of young people enter full-time higher education by the age of 20, including those who enter at ages 18, 19 and 20.
| Academic year of entry to Higher Education | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 2000–01 | 2001–02 | |
| Schools(6) | |||
| 17 year olds(7) in previous year studying in Schools | 167,600 | 167,500 | 173,600 |
| 18 year olds(8) accepted for entry from Schools | 83,200 | 83,200 | 86,900 |
| Percentage proceeding to HE aged 18 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| FE Colleges | |||
| 17 year olds(7) in previous year studying in FE colleges | 183,700 | 183,100 | 184,900 |
| 18 year olds(8) accepted for entry from FE colleges | 37,700 | 38,100 | 40,800 |
| Percentage proceeding to HE aged 18 | 21 | 21 | 22 |
(6) Including City Technology Colleges.
(7) Age at 31 August.
(8) Age at 30 September.
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