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Temporary Staff
Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many part- and full-time employees under contract from temping agencies work within her Department; and how much was spent on temporary staff (a) in total and (b) as a percentage of the total staffing budget for each of the last five years for which figures are available. [66744]
Mr. Stephen Twigg [holding answer 5 July 2002]: From January 2002 to May 2002 the Department has employed 850 agency staff at a cost of £1,072,019.32 which was 1.49 per cent. of the staffing budget. The following table provides details for the past five years.
| Year | Number of agency staff | Financial year | Agency spend for the financial year (£) | Percentage of staffing budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | (25)— | (25)— | (25)— | (25)— |
| 1998 | (25)— | 1997–98 | 133,670.63 | 0.09 |
| 1999 | 468 | 1998–99 | 238,525.40 | 0.15 |
| 2000 | 932 | 1999–2000 | 930,625.49 | 0.6 |
| 2001 | 1619 | 2000–01 | 1,828,956.64 | 1.15 |
(25) Figures not available
Teacher:Pupil Ratio
Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average teacher to pupil ratio in infant classes in South Tyneside was in each year since 1997. [67045]
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Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not available centrally.
Information for Primary schools is shown in the following table:
| Pupil:teacher ratio(26) | |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 23.4 |
| 1998 | 23.1 |
| 1999 | 22.5 |
| 2000 | 22.2 |
| 2001 | 21.3 |
| 2002(27) | 21.2 |
(26) The pupil:teacher ratio within schools is the ratio of the full-time equivalent number of pupils to the full-time equivalent number of teachers.
(27) Provisional
Source:
Annual Schools Census
Mr. McLoughlin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average pupil to teacher ratio was in Derbyshire in each year between 1996 and 2001 in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools. [67430]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested is shown in the table.
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| Pupil:teacher ratio | ||
|---|---|---|
| Derbyshire local education authority | Primary schools(28) | Secondary schools(28) |
| 1996 | 25.3 | 17.0 |
| 1997 | 25.9 | 17.4 |
| 1998 | 26.2 | 17.7 |
| 1999 | 25.1 | 17.8 |
| 2000 | 25.2 | 17.8 |
| 2001 | 24.2 | 17.5 |
(28) Includes middle schools as deemed
Source:
Annual Schools' Census
Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to her answer of 1 July 2002, Official Report, column 15W, on the pupil:teacher ratio, what the overall average pupil:teacher ratio in Suffolk was in each year since 1997. [67469]
Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 5 July 2002]: The information requested is shown in the table.
| Pupil:teacher ratio | ||
|---|---|---|
| Suffolk local education authority | Primary Schools(29) | Secondary Schools(29) |
| 1997 | 22.3 | 16.6 |
| 1998 | 22.2 | 16.5 |
| 1999 | 22.0 | 16.6 |
| 2000 | 22.1 | 16.9 |
| 2001 | 22.0 | 17.1 |
| 2002(30) | 21.6 | 16.9 |
(29) Includes middle schools as deemed
(30) Provisional
Source:
Annual Schools' Census
Infant Class Sizes (South Tyneside)
Mr. Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average infant class size in South Tyneside was in each year since 1997; what the average sizes were in England in those years; and how many infants there were in classes in South Tyneside in each of these years. [67046]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested is shown in the table.
| South Tyneside | England | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of pupils | Average class size | Number of pupils | Average class size | |
| 1997 | 5,669 | 26.6 | 1,646,660 | 26.9 |
| 1998 | 5,583 | 27.0 | 1,654,287 | 27.1 |
| 1999 | 5,441 | 25.0 | 1,629,716 | 26.5 |
| 2000 | 5,333 | 24.6 | 1,614,641 | 25.8 |
| 2001 | 5,031 | 24.0 | 1,575,160 | 25.2 |
| 2002(32) | 4,660 | 24.3 | 1,550,373 | 25.2 |
(31) Classes as taught during the one selected period in each school on the day of the census in January
(32) Provisional
Source:
Annual Schools' Census
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Special Educational Needs
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the availability of transition plans to young people over 14 with a statement of special educational needs with particular reference to the obligations and compliance of local education authorities. [67110]
Mr. Stephen Twigg [holding answer 9 July 2002]: The Education (Special Educational Needs) (England) (Consolidation) Regulations 2001 make provision for all young people over 14 with statements of special educational needs to have a transition plan. Head teachers are responsible for drawing up a transition plan following the year 9 annual review of a young person's statement where he or she is in school and submitting this to the local education authority. Where the young person attends either a non-maintained special school or an independent school or does not attend school the local education authority is responsible for preparing the transition plan.
Figures on the numbers of young people with statements in year 9 onwards who have transition plans are not held centrally. The Department is aware of the importance of securing successful transitions for this group of young people and has commissioned a longitudinal study of 'Post-16 Transitions of Pupils with Special Educational Needs'. Its findings will inform policy development.
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if it is her policy that parents of children with severe learning difficulties may choose whether to send their children to special schools or be integrated in mainstream schools; [69204]
- (2) if it is her policy to allow parents of children with complex and severe special needs to choose whether to send their children to special schools or be integrated in mainstream schools. [69205]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: Children with special educational needs must be educated in a mainstream school unless that is incompatible with the wishes of the child's parents, or the provision of efficient education of other children. Where a child has a statement, and the parents do not wish the child to be educated in a mainstream school, then the local education authority may educate the child in a special school. The local education authority must name the parents' preferred choice of school on the statement unless the school is unsuitable, or the child's inclusion would be incompatible with the efficient education of other children or the efficient use of resources.
Both mainstream and special schools have a role to play in the education of pupils with special educational needs, including those with severe and complex learning difficulties.
Mr. Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance she issues to local education authorities regarding (a) the optimum size of special
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schools and (b) whether children with severe learning difficulties should be taught within such schools or in mainstream schools. [69201]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: The Secretary of State does not issue specific guidance to local education authorities on the optimum size of special schools. Children with special educational needs must be educated in a mainstream school unless that is incompatible with the wishes of the child's parents, or the provision of efficient education of other children. Where a child has a statement, and the parents do not wish the child to be educated in a mainstream school, then the local education authority may educate the child in a special school. The local education authority must name the parents' preferred choice of school on the statement unless the school is unsuitable, or the child's inclusion would be incompatible with the efficient education of other children or the efficient use of resources.
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