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11 Jun 2003 : Column 885W—continued
EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Criminal Records Bureau
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Criminal Records Bureau checks for school staff took place last year; and how many he estimates will take place this year. [118127]
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Mr. Miliband: My Department does not collect this information.
Education Funding
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the overall percentage change in per pupil funding for 2003–04 for the 10 lowest funded education authorities in England. [117382]
Mr. Miliband: The following table shows the 2003–04 Education Formula Spending Share per pupil and the increase over the adjusted 2002–03 Standard Spending Assessment for the 10 authorities who receive the lowest average EFSS per pupil.
| Education Formula Spending Share per 3–15 pupil | Percentage increase over adjusted 2002–03 SSA per 3–15 pupil | |
|---|---|---|
| Leicestershire | 2,939 | 3.2 |
| South Gloucestershire | 2,953 | 5.6 |
| York | 2,958 | 4.7 |
| Worcestershire | 2,979 | 4.1 |
| Warrington | 2,980 | 6.2 |
| Staffordshire | 2,986 | 5.1 |
| Solihull | 2,987 | 6.9 |
| Poole | 2,990 | 4.2 |
| Stockport | 3,002 | 6.1 |
| Dudley | 3,020 | 7.0 |
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received concerning the failure of schools in East Sussex to meet standstill budget pressures for (a) the current academic year, (b) 2003–04 and (c) 2004–05. [117636]
Mr. Miliband: The Department for Education and Skills has received large amounts of correspondence concerning education budgets for the current financial year from both schools and East Sussex local education authority, as it does each year. It is not possible to collate this information without disproportionate cost.
Secondary School Pupil Attainment
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what evidence he has collated on the impact of (a) increased funding, (b) school management reviews and (c) the creation of a subject specialism on levels of pupil attainment in secondary schools. [117179]
Mr. Miliband: The Department's own figures show that there has been an increase of £10.5 billion in school funding since 1997. This equates to an increase in funding per pupil of £920 in cash terms over the period, and has enabled schools to increase the number of teachers that they employ by 20,000 and the number of support staff by 80,000. Coupled with improvements to school buildings and the rolling out of initiatives such as specialist schools these additional resources have been
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correlated with a substantial improvement in pupil achievement. In particular, since 1997 there has been a 5 percentage point increase in the proportion of secondary pupils achieving five or more A*-C GCSEs. Primary school pupils have also benefited with 10 and 14 percentage point improvements in the proportion achieving the expected level in English and Maths at KS2.
Reviews of school management are primarily the responsibility of local education authorities, although an independent view of the competence of management and leadership in each school is an integral part of every Ofsted inspection. The annual report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector (February 2003) indicates that leadership and management of secondary head teachers and key staff continue to improve, and are now good or better in over eight out 10 schools. We continue to press hard to identify areas where improvement is still needed, using targeted policies and funding to do so.
Building on the new Ofsted framework for inspection, groups of schools in receipt of Leadership Incentive Grant funding have, for example, been required to undertake rigorous self and peer review to identify strengths and weaknesses in key areas contributing to leadership and attainment. These Leadership Collaborates have used this knowledge to agree shared priorities for action in their Collaborative Plans. Where there are weaknesses, funding through the Grant can be used to restructure leadership teams and provide additional support for actions designed to raise attainment and strengthen teaching and learning across the Collaborative. We will be monitoring the impact on pupil attainment over the lifetime of the Grant.
(c) In 2002, mainstream non-selective specialist schools averaged 54.1 per cent. 5+A* to C grades at GCSE compared to 46.7 per cent. for all other mainstream non-selective secondary schools. On average there was a 4.5 percentage points difference between the value added outcomes of these specialist schools in terms of KS2 to GCSE 5+A* to C when compared with non-specialist schools. Ofsted's 2001 report on specialist schools ("An evaluation of progress") said that specialist status had been
- "a catalyst for innovation and helped to sustain or accelerate the momentum of school improvement".
Mr. Ivan Lewis: It is for schools to develop and determine for themselves the best form of pupil grouping to meet the needs of all their pupils. From September, all secondary schools in England will benefit from a package of training and audit materials, which will help schools to improve their effectiveness in promoting positive behaviour and attendance.
School Exclusions
Mr. Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much has been spent on educating excluded children in each year since 1995. [116631]
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Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 3 June 2003]: The information requested is not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Independent Schools
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children have been in receipt of assisted places at independent schools since 1997. [118392]
Mr. Miliband: The Assisted Places Scheme is being phased out. The number of children holding assisted places in each school year since 1997/98 is given in the following table:
| Academic year | Number of assisted pupils |
|---|---|
| 1997/98 | 36,458 |
| 1998/99 | 29,795 |
| 1999/2000 | 23,255 |
| 2000/01 | 17,927 |
| 2001/02 | 12,550 |
| 2002/03 | 7,690 |
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of (a) the number of children in receipt of scholarships, bursaries or other such assistance attending independent schools and (b) the total value of such assistance. [118397]
Mr. Miliband: Information about the number of children attending independent schools who receive scholarships, bursaries or other financial support is not collected centrally. The Independent Schools Council estimate, in respect of their member schools, that over 160,000 pupils receive such help, nearly 114,000 of whom receive fee assistance directly from their schools.
There are 7,690 children holding Government assisted places at independent schools at a total estimated cost of £32.7 million in the current school year 2002/03. 792 exceptionally talented children receive help under the Music and Dance Scheme at a total cost of £12.5 million. In addition, £132,000 is available to support 85 Choristers through the Choir Schools Scholarship Scheme.
Individual Learning Account
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when individual learning accounts are expected to be re-introduced. [117677]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: We will make an announcement about the National Skills Strategy in July 2003, which will include our proposals for taking forward the principles of individual learning accounts.
Ofsted
Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if he will make it the policy of the Government that the South West Regional Centre of Ofsted should publish its telephone number; [118219]
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- (2) how many After School Clubs have been registered by Ofsted; how many applications are outstanding; and what the average time has been between the making of an application and its determination; [118222]
(3) what the average time has been between the date of an application for registration of an After School Club and the carrying out of an inspection visit; [118223]
(4) if he will make it the policy of the Government that each application for registration of an After School Club should be the responsibility of a named individual who can report to the applicant on the progress of the application; and if he will make a statement. [118224]
Mr. Miliband: These are matters for the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted). HM Chief Inspector of Schools, David Bell, will write to the hon. Member and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library.
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