House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 9 Jun 2003 (pt 9)

9 Jun 2003 : Column 604W—continued

Physics

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions he has held with the Institution of Physics on the involvement of women in physics. [116618]

Margaret Hodge: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not held any discussions with the Institute of Physics on the involvement of women in physics. However officials of the Department have met with the Institute to discuss this issue and the Institute's new programme to support women in physics, with a view to working together in this area.

School Budgets

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his Written Ministerial Statement of 15 May 2003, Official Report, column 13WS, on school budgets, what plans he has to issue guidance to local education authorities in connection with those obligations (a) to meet requirements under health and safety legislation and (b) to meet Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2000 requirements in respect of (i) the minimum education of children and (ii) to meet SENDA requirements in respect of physical access to premises. [115180]

Mr. Miliband: We have no plans to issue further guidance in these areas.

My Department has worked closely with LEAs to ensure that they are aware of their health and safety responsibilities, including giving talks to LEA staff, sending the publication "Health & Safety: Responsibilities and Powers" to all LEAs and schools in England in December 2001 and more recently creating a health and safety section on the Teachernet website http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/healthandsafety.

There is a requirement for schools to meet for a minimum of 380 half day sessions per year and recommended guidelines on the amount of teaching time have been published as follows:

17.30—20 hours for pupils at Key Stage 1 (Recommended by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority)

19.10—22.30 hours for pupils at Key Stage 2 (Recommended by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority)

21.30 hours for pupils at Key Stage 3 (Recommended by the Key State 3 National Strategy)

24 hours for pupils at Key Stage 4 (DfES Circular 7/90)

The guidance for Key Stages 1 and 2 can be found on the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's website: http://www.qca.org.uk/ca/5–14/learnmg prim curr.asp

The Key Stage 3 guidelines can be found at: http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/keystage3/publications

In July 2002 my Department issued guidance for local education authorities and schools on carrying out their disability planning duties under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (as amended by the SEN and Disability Act 2001). These duties require them to plan strategically to increase access to schools for disabled pupils over time. The duty covers physical access to premises, access to information in alternative formats, and access to the curriculum. The guidance—"Accessible Schools—Planning to increase access to schools for disabled pupils" can be found at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/sen

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School Exclusions

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school children are

9 Jun 2003 : Column 606W

permanently excluded from schools in the Greater London area. [116707]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The information requested is shown in the table.

Number of permanent exclusions by type of school 2001–02 (provisional estimates)⁽³⁾by local education authority area in London

Primary⁽⁴⁾ Secondary⁽⁴⁾ Special⁽⁵⁾ Total

Number of permanent exclusions Percentage of the school population⁽⁶⁾ Number of permanent exclusions Percentage of the school population⁽⁶⁾ Number of permanent exclusions Percentage of the school population⁽⁶⁾ Number of permanent exclusions Percentage of the school population⁽⁶⁾

England 1,451 0.03 7,741 0.24 343 0.36 9,535 0.12

London 205 0.03 1,196 0.29 55 0.45 1,456 0.14

Inner London 80 0.03 386 0.30 23 0.50 489 0.13

Camden 2 0.02 24 0.22 2 0.68 28 0.12

City of London 0 0.00 ⁽⁷⁾— ⁽⁷⁾— ⁽⁷⁾— ⁽⁷⁾— ⁽⁷⁾— ⁽⁷⁾—

Hackney 9 0.05 21 0.26 3 0.80 33 0.12

Hammersmith and Fulham 2 0.02 34 0.47 1 0.32 37 0.22

Haringey 5 0.02 27 0.24 0 0.00 32 0.09

Islington 0 0.00 12 0.16 0 0.00 12 0.05

Kensington and Chelsea 3 0.04 9 0.25 1 1.32 13 0.12

Lambeth 9 0.05 29 0.40 0 0.00 38 0.14

Lewisham 13 0.06 51 0.44 2 0.38 66 0.19

Newham 12 0.04 37 0.21 1 1.39 50 0.10

Southwark 14 0.06 31 0.29 5 1.05 50 0.14

Tower Hamlets 1 0.00 36 0.26 1 0.25 38 0.10

Wandsworth 9 0.05 49 0.49 7 0.96 65 0.23

Westminster 1 0.01 26 0.32 0 0.00 27 0.14

Outer London 125 0.03 810 0.29 32 0.43 967 0.14

Barking and Dagenham 10 0.05 14 0.12 0 0.00 24 0.08

Barnet 3 0.01 51 0.24 0 0.00 54 0.11

Bexley 11 0.05 45 0.25 4 1.00 60 0.15

Brent 3 0.01 34 0.23 1 0.25 38 0.10

Bromley 6 0.02 79 0.37 0 0.00 85 0.18

Croydon 25 0.08 110 0.62 10 1.79 145 0.29

Ealing 4 0.01 59 0.38 1 0.21 64 0.15

Enfield 6 0.02 64 0.31 2 0.39 72 0.15

Greenwich 18 0.09 31 0.22 2 0.35 51 0.14

Harrow 5 0.03 63 0.70 0 0.00 68 0.24

Havering 2 0.01 42 0.26 1 0.42 45 0.12

Hillingdon 8 0.03 35 0.21 0 0.00 43 0.10

Hounslow 7 0.04 50 0.31 2 0.52 59 0.16

Kingston upon Thames 1 0.01 2 0.02 0 0.00 3 0.01

Merton 3 0.02 18 0.24 2 0.78 23 0.10

Redbridge 2 0.01 30 0.16 0 0.00 32 0.07

Richmond upon Thames 3 0.02 25 0.34 3 1.99 31 0.16

Sutton 1 0.01 34 0.23 0 0.00 35 0.12

Waltham Forest 7 0.03 24 0.18 4 0.59 35 0.10

	Primary⁽⁴⁾	Secondary⁽⁴⁾	Special⁽⁵⁾	Total
	Number of permanent exclusions	Percentage of the school population⁽⁶⁾	Number of permanent exclusions	Percentage of the school population⁽⁶⁾	Number of permanent exclusions	Percentage of the school population⁽⁶⁾	Number of permanent exclusions	Percentage of the school population⁽⁶⁾
England	1,451	0.03	7,741	0.24	343	0.36	9,535	0.12

London	205	0.03	1,196	0.29	55	0.45	1,456	0.14

Inner London	80	0.03	386	0.30	23	0.50	489	0.13
Camden	2	0.02	24	0.22	2	0.68	28	0.12
City of London	0	0.00	⁽⁷⁾—	⁽⁷⁾—	⁽⁷⁾—	⁽⁷⁾—	⁽⁷⁾—	⁽⁷⁾—
Hackney	9	0.05	21	0.26	3	0.80	33	0.12
Hammersmith and Fulham	2	0.02	34	0.47	1	0.32	37	0.22
Haringey	5	0.02	27	0.24	0	0.00	32	0.09
Islington	0	0.00	12	0.16	0	0.00	12	0.05
Kensington and Chelsea	3	0.04	9	0.25	1	1.32	13	0.12
Lambeth	9	0.05	29	0.40	0	0.00	38	0.14
Lewisham	13	0.06	51	0.44	2	0.38	66	0.19
Newham	12	0.04	37	0.21	1	1.39	50	0.10
Southwark	14	0.06	31	0.29	5	1.05	50	0.14
Tower Hamlets	1	0.00	36	0.26	1	0.25	38	0.10
Wandsworth	9	0.05	49	0.49	7	0.96	65	0.23
Westminster	1	0.01	26	0.32	0	0.00	27	0.14

Outer London	125	0.03	810	0.29	32	0.43	967	0.14
Barking and Dagenham	10	0.05	14	0.12	0	0.00	24	0.08
Barnet	3	0.01	51	0.24	0	0.00	54	0.11
Bexley	11	0.05	45	0.25	4	1.00	60	0.15
Brent	3	0.01	34	0.23	1	0.25	38	0.10
Bromley	6	0.02	79	0.37	0	0.00	85	0.18
Croydon	25	0.08	110	0.62	10	1.79	145	0.29
Ealing	4	0.01	59	0.38	1	0.21	64	0.15
Enfield	6	0.02	64	0.31	2	0.39	72	0.15
Greenwich	18	0.09	31	0.22	2	0.35	51	0.14
Harrow	5	0.03	63	0.70	0	0.00	68	0.24
Havering	2	0.01	42	0.26	1	0.42	45	0.12
Hillingdon	8	0.03	35	0.21	0	0.00	43	0.10
Hounslow	7	0.04	50	0.31	2	0.52	59	0.16
Kingston upon Thames	1	0.01	2	0.02	0	0.00	3	0.01
Merton	3	0.02	18	0.24	2	0.78	23	0.10
Redbridge	2	0.01	30	0.16	0	0.00	32	0.07
Richmond upon Thames	3	0.02	25	0.34	3	1.99	31	0.16
Sutton	1	0.01	34	0.23	0	0.00	35	0.12
Waltham Forest	7	0.03	24	0.18	4	0.59	35	0.10

⁽³⁾ 19 LEAs in England have yet to confirm the data for their schools. Based on data as at 29 May 2003.

⁽⁴⁾ Includes middle schools as deemed.

⁽⁵⁾ Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools.

⁽⁶⁾ The number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number (headcount) pupils in primary, secondary and special schools, excluding dually registered pupils in special schools in January 2002.

⁽⁷⁾ Not applicable (no schools of this type)

Source:

Annual Schools' Census

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many appeals against fixed term exclusions from secondary schools have been made in the last 12 months; [116939]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: Information on fixed term exclusions and associated appeals is not collected centrally.

Following a review of data collected on exclusions, the Department is collecting information from Local Education Authorities on both fixed term and permanent exclusions on a termly basis from this summer.

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many excluded children have received education through (a) pupil referral units, (b) home tuition, (c) emotional and behavioural disorder day units, (d) emotional and behavioural disorder residential units and (e) other provision for excluded children in each year since 1995; [116632]

Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 3 June 2003]: Information on the provision made for permanently excluded pupils was first collected in March 2001 via the Education of Permanently Excluded Pupils (EPEP) Survey and was updated in September 2001. The available figures are shown in the table.

9 Jun 2003 : Column 607W

All local education authorities were committed to offering a full timetable to permanently excluded pupils from September 2002. In targeted schools in 34 local authorities, provision is also being made for those excluded on a temporary basis. These arrangements will be extended to a further 27 local authorities in the coming year.

Distribution of mode of provision of education for excluded pupils—England, March and September 2001

Provision of permanently excluded pupils

March 2001⁽⁸⁾ September 2001⁽⁹⁾

Number of excluded pupils by mode of provision Percentage distribution of mode of provision Number of excluded pupils by mode of provision Percentage distribution of mode of provision

PRU 4,176 41.0 3,793 47.6

Home tuition 1,706 16.8 1,124 14.1

Voluntary Sector 51 0.5 95 1.2

FE college 626 6.2 673 8.4

Work related 212 2.1 270 3.4

Mixed provision 1,248 12.3 525 6.6

Other provision 901 8.9 660 8.3

No provision 1,254 12.3 830 10.4

Total 10,174 100.0 7,970 100.0

	Provision of permanently excluded pupils
		March 2001⁽⁸⁾		September 2001⁽⁹⁾
	Number of excluded pupils by mode of provision	Percentage distribution of mode of provision	Number of excluded pupils by mode of provision	Percentage distribution of mode of provision


PRU	4,176	41.0	3,793	47.6
Home tuition	1,706	16.8	1,124	14.1
Voluntary Sector	51	0.5	95	1.2
FE college	626	6.2	673	8.4
Work related	212	2.1	270	3.4
Mixed provision	1,248	12.3	525	6.6
Other provision	901	8.9	660	8.3
No provision	1,254	12.3	830	10.4
Total	10,174	100.0	7,970	100.0

⁽⁸⁾ Based on replies from 144 out of 150 local education authorities

⁽⁹⁾ Based on replies from 146 out of 150 local education authoritiesSource:

EPEP Survey.

Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of excluded children in pupil referral units were regularly truanting in each year since 1995. [116633]

Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 3 June 2003]: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Information on pupil truancy is derived from Absence in Schools Survey returns made each year by schools to the Department. This survey is not completed by Pupil Referral Units.

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