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Examinations
Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many complaints she has received in 2002 about falsification or cheating in SATs or public examinations in schools. [62248]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The marking of the national curriculum tests and public examinations is still taking place, so figures on the confirmed cases of falsification or cheating are not available.
Sixth Form Provision
Mr. Watts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment the Government have made of the need to increase funding to retain academic staff in sixth form colleges. [62255]
Margaret Hodge: The Department has not carried out a specific assessment of the potential link between the funding gap and the retention of academic staff in sixth form colleges. We are, however, aware of the funding gap between schools and the further education sector, and
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remain committed to bringing up levels of funding for colleges over time and as resources allow. This issue is being considered as part of the current spending review.
We are investing significant funding in the FE sector, including more than £310 million in the Teaching Pay Initiative (TPI) during the period 2001–04 to allow colleges, including sixth form colleges to recruit, reward and retain, high quality teachers. A survey conducted by the Sixth Form Colleges' Employers' Forum has shown that 85 per cent. of eligible teaching staff are in receipt of a professional standards payment within TPI.
Education Maintenance Allowance
Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students have been awarded an education maintenance allowance in (a) Staffordshire and (b) Stoke-on-Trent, North for the academic year 2001–02. [62384]
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Mr. Ivan Lewis: 2,659 young people in Stoke-on-Trent have received an allowance in this academic year. We are unable to break this down into figures for different areas of the city.
Staffordshire LEA is not taking part in the EMA pilot scheme, although students living in Stoke-on-Trent who study at institutions in Staffordshire can receive an award.
Individual Learning Plans
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what support and resources are made available to young people when developing their individual learning plans. [62460]
Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 18 June 2002]: The Green Paper "14–19: extending opportunities, raising standards" proposes a broader choice of learning options for young people during the 14–19 phase of education. It recognises that in order to understand the range of choices open to them and their implications for future learning and career paths, young people will need additional advice and guidance, both from schools and the Connexions Service, at the beginning and throughout the 14–19 phase. The Green Paper suggests that the start of the 14–19 phase should begin with a review with each young person, to record achievements to date and identify learning and career goals through until age 19. It further proposes that the outcomes of the review should be recorded in an individual learning plan.
The consultation on the Green Paper ended on 31 May 2002. Ministers are currently reviewing the responses and, in the light of these, will make an announcement on the outcome of the consultation later this year.
Language Teaching
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when modern foreign language teaching is to be excluded from the compulsory curriculum for those aged 14. [62463]
Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 18 June 2002]: This is a proposal in the Green Paper "14–19: extending opportunities, raising standards". Consultation closed only on 31 May 2002 and we are reflecting carefully on the views expressed during consultation before reaching our decision. We have indicated in the Green Paper that curriculum changes would be subject to further consultation before their introduction.
Our proposals seek a balance between the need to offer pupils greater choice, and the importance of foreign languages. We propose a statutory entitlement to them in all schools. We have also expressed our aspirations to boost language learning in primary schools.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how the Government intend to encourage the integration of language learning within modern apprenticeship frameworks as stated in the Green Paper "14–19: extending opportunities, raising standards", with reference to the availability of an optional foreign language. [62464]
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Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 18 June 2002]: Languages are already an option as part of a modern apprenticeship and can be included in the young person's training plan where they are deemed necessary or desirable, if the employer agrees.
We are in discussion with the LSC to establish how opportunities to develop language skills might be better signposted to employers and learners so that they are more easily integrated into learning programmes.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research into the study of languages and the benefits of studying a foreign language is being undertaken by her Department. [62465]
Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 18 June 2002]: We have considered the findings of recent research including the final report of the Nuffield Languages Inquiry (2000); the University of Warwick, Centre for Language Teacher Education (CELTE) report on the analysis and evaluation for teaching of modern foreign languages at Key Stage 2 in England, (2000) and the European Commission's survey of the languages spoken in the EU 'Eurobarometer 54', (2001).
These reports have informed our aspirations for the future of teaching and learning languages outlined in our 'Language Learning' pamphlet and the discussions of the Languages National Steering Group. Our long term national language strategy, which we plan to publish in the autumn, will contain our proposals to widen the opportunities for language learning.
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if her Department intends to provide peripatetic language (a) primary and (b) secondary school teachers. [62518]
Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 18 June 2002]: We are examining the overall issue of teacher supply to deliver our language learning aspirations set out in our recently published 'Language Learning' pamphlet. The use of peripatetic language teachers is one of the options we are considering. Our national languages strategy, which we plan to publish in the autumn, will outline our intentions.
Brookfield School
Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when a decision will be made on the application to dispose of the playing fields element of Brookfield school in the constituency of Bradford, North. [62671]
Mr. Miliband: The application by Bradford metropolitan district council to dispose of playing fields at the closed Brookfield school is under consideration and we expect to be in a position to announce a decision shortly. I will arrange for officials to let you know the outcome of Bradford's application as soon as a final decision is made.
City Technology Colleges and Academies
Mr. Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the initial capital costs of (a) Emmanuel City Technology College in Gateshead, (b) each approved city technology college and (c) each
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approved city academy, together with the proportion of (i) capital costs and (ii) running costs met in each case by the sponsors of those colleges and academies; and if she will list the continuing financial obligations in each case. [62839]
Mr. Miliband: In answer to my hon. Friend's question, the following two tables show the initial capital costs of each city technology college (CTC), including Emmanuel, and each approved academy. As far as academies are concerned, five have signed funding agreements with the Secretary of State. These projects are still at a very early stage and their final capital costs will not be known until much further into their construction stages.
Year-on-year running costs for CTCs and academies are met by the Department. As charitable companies, CTCs and academies are also free to generate additional income through charitable donations or any trading arms to supplement departmental funding. For CTCs, the first table gives the total amount of sponsorship, including any initial costs, provided to each college up until February 2002, as reported to my Department. Similar information will be collected on academies once they begin to operate.
There are no continuing financial obligations on CTC or academy sponsors beyond the initial contribution to capital costs. However, CTCS are required to meet at least 20 per cent. of the costs of any capital project funded by the Department.
(13) These are not the originally agreed funded levels. The DfES contributions were later reduced to the agreed levels by adjustments to funding
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| £000(14) | |
|---|---|
| ADT | 4,256 |
| Bacons(15) | 2,064 |
| Britschool | 4,431 |
| Brooke Weston | 3,383 |
| Dixons | 3,943 |
| Djanogly | 2,823 |
| Emmanuel | 2,289 |
| Habs | 5,597 |
| Harris(15) | 2,061 |
| John Cabot | 2,720 |
| Kingshurst | 4,295 |
| Landau Forte | 2,405 |
| Leigh(15) | 1,955 |
| Macmillan | 3,943 |
| Telford | 3,595 |
| Total | 49,760 |
(14) These figures are total sponsorship including initial capital costs. They are as reported to the DfES by each CTC. They have not been confirmed by the DfES.
(15) These are not the originally agreed funded levels. The DfES contributions were later reduced to the agreed levels by adjustments to funding
| Academy | DfES contribution | Sponsor contribution | Total cash limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bexley Business Academy, Bexley | 25,750,000 | 2,410,000 | 28,160,000 |
| Capital City Academy, Brent | 21,404,000 | 2,000,000 | 23,404,000 |
| Greig City Academy, Haringey | 11,000,000 | 2,000,000 | 13,000,000 |
| South Middlesbrough City Academy, Middlesbrough | 19,171,360 | 2,000,000 | 21,171,360 |
| Walsall City Academy, Walsall | 14,560,000 | 2,500,000 | 17,060,000 |
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