| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
13 May 2003 : Column 178W—continued
Education Costs
Mr. Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the average cost in 2002–03 of schooling for an individual student taking three A-levels at (a) an English maintained secondary school and (b) an English maintained sixth form college. [110124]
Margaret Hodge: The Learning and Skills Council's published rates show that the basic cost to the public purse of delivering three A-levels to a student in 2002/03 at an English maintained secondary school was £2,899. This figure comprises £733 for the delivery of each A-level course, and £697 for each student for the
13 May 2003 : Column 179W
enrichment of their learning programme. The basic cost to the public purse of delivering three A-levels to a student at a sixth form college in 2002/03 was £2,641. This figure comprises £663 for the delivery of each A-level course, and £697 for each student for the enrichment of their learning programme. In each case additional funding may also be available to take account of the higher costs of delivering learning in particular geographical areas, in higher cost subjects, or to students with particular disadvantages or individual needs. We expect the funding gap between school sixth forms and sixth form colleges to narrow over the 2003/06 period while maintaining the real terms guarantee for school sixth forms.
Enterprise Advisers
Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what role enterprise advisers will play in secondary education. [112448]
Mr. Charles Clarke [holding answer 12 May 2003]: Enterprise Advisers will work in secondary schools in disadvantaged areas, providing advice to headteachers on the delivery of the enterprise initiative, improving school interaction with business and offering help and advice on way in which the schools themselves behave as businesses. We also see them as having a role in helping pupil motivation and attendance and contributing towards our reform of the school workforce. In some cases, the advisers will work full time in large schools, in others, they will provide advice on a part time basis.
Entertainment
Mr. Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he has entertained Labour hon. Members at public expense in the last 12 months; and at what cost. [106388]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: No such events have taken place.
Finance
Martin Linton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the amounts that education authorities in London have budgeted above or below their education formula spending shares in the 2003–04 financial year. [111042]
Mr. Miliband: The information requested is contained in the following table:
Notes:
1. Figures in this PQ refer to the whole Education budget, not just the Schools budget.
2. This PQ looks at the total level of planned spend by the authority compared to their formula allocation. This is a different issue to passporting which looks at the increase in the schools budget, compared to the formula increase.
3. Total Education Revenue Expenditure figures are drawn from Table 1 of the section 52 budget statements for 2003–04. Figures are as reported by LEAs on 6 May 2003 and are subject to change.
4. Total Education Revenue Expenditure (net) includes an adjustment for LSC SEN allocations where these had been clearly omitted.
5. EFS plus grants includes EFS, departmental LSC allocations, Specific Formula grants (including EiC) and London budget support grant for comparability.
13 May 2003 : Column 180W
Independent Schools
Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of children of compulsory school age attended independent schools in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [111682]
Mr. Miliband: The information requested is shown in the table.
| Position in Januaryeach year: 1999 to2003 (Provisional) | Number of pupils in all schools | Percentage of pupils attending independent schools(8) |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 6,919,812 | 6.0 |
| 2000 | 6,963,773 | 6.0 |
| 2001 | 6,992,843 | 6.1 |
| 2002 | 6,984,413 | 6.1 |
| 2003(9) | 6,989,000 | 6.1 |
(7) Pupils aged 5 to 15 on 31 August of the previous year.
(8) The number of pupils in independent schools expressed as a percentage of the number of pupils in all schools.
(9) Provisional numbers, based upon returns made to the Department by the end of March 2003. Number of pupils rounded to the nearest thousand.
Source:
Annual Schools' Census
13 May 2003 : Column 181W
Literacy
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what examples of best practice from other countries in Europe he plans to introduce to enhance Government plans to encourage literacy throughout the UK. [112451]
Mr. Miliband: The international 'Progress in Reading Literacy Study' (PIRLS), showed that our primary school pupils were the third most able readers in the world, and that England was the most successful English speaking country. This demonstrates the international success of our National Literacy Strategy which has led to dramatic improvements since its introduction in 1998. The number of 11-year-olds achieving the expected level for their age (Level 4) in English rose by 10 percentage points between 1998 and 2002.
The National Literacy Strategy has from its inception benefited from international research such as PIRLS to support teachers. Important elements of its guidance to teachers, including Progression in Phonics, Grammar for Writing and Developing Early Writing, have drawn on experience in other countries. We will, of course, continue to refine the Strategy to ensure that it reflects international best practice and research evidence, so that all children fulfil their potential. We will shortly be publishing a strategy document on primary education, which will set out how we intend to build on the success of the NLS.
Teachers
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list teacher supply agencies with his Department's quality mark status, broken down by year of accreditation. [110052]
Mr. Miliband: The following agencies have been awarded the Quality Mark, which is administered by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation:
- Protocol Teachers
Standby Teacher Services
Capita Education Resourcing
Supply Desk
Celsian Group
Academy
Select Education
ITN Teachers
Quay Education Services
Teach London
Louis Paul Recruitment
GB Recruitment
Teachers Workline
Link Education
13 May 2003 : Column 182W
-
2003:
Supplynet Recruitment
Kelly Educational Staffing
GSL Education
Reed Education Professionals
Focus Education
Dream Education
SOS Education Services
Mr. Miliband: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers there were per head of population in (a) Lancashire and (b) the North West of England in each year since 1997. [111575]
Mr. Miliband: The following table shows the number of full-time equivalent regular teachers (excluding occasionals) in service in January of each year in the maintained schools sector per thousand of population of all ages.
| Teachers per thousand of population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Lancashire(10) | North West | ||
| 1997 | 8.4 | 8.8 | |
| 1998 | 8.4 | 8.8 | |
| 1999 | 8.6 | 8.9 | |
| 2000 | 8.6 | 8.9 | |
| 2001 | 8.6 | 9.0 | |
| 2002(11),(12) | 8.4 | 8.9 | |
(10) The figures shown for 1997 and 1998 are based on the boundaries prior to local government reorganisation in April 1998.
(11) The most recent teacher data available at regional or LEA level are for 2002.
(12) The population figures used as denominators for 1997 to 2001 are revised mid-year estimates that take account of the 2001 Census. Population estimates for 2002 are not yet available, the percentages for that year are therefore based on projections for mid-2002 (which were prepared before the results of the 2001 Census were known).
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to protect the employment of newly recruited teachers against the consequences of the financial difficulties of the schools which employ them. [112245]
Mr. Miliband: It is for schools, as employers, to determine their appropriate staffing levels in line with their budgets.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |