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17 Dec 2003 : Column 955W—continued

Class Sizes

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children aged between five and seven in Warrington North (a) were taught in classes of more than 30 in 1997 and (b) are currently in classes of more than 30. [143457]

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Mr. Stephen Twigg: The requested information is given in the table.

Maintained primary schools(8): Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher

Warrington North(9)
Key Stage 1 Classes(10),(11)
Position in January each year 1997 and 200319972003(12)
Average class size27.524.7
Number of pupils4,2393,728
Number of pupils in classes with over 30 pupils1,4450
Percentage of pupils in classes with over 30 pupils34.10.0
Number of classes154151
Number of classes with over 30 pupils440
Percentage of classes with over 30 pupils28.60.0

(8) Includes middle deemed schools.

(9) The boundaries for each area are for the year in question. Figures have not been adjusted to take into account of any boundary changes.

(10) Classes as taught by one teacher.

(11) Classes as taught during one selected period in each school on the day of the Census in January.

(12) Includes Reception classes to produce a coverage as close as possible to previous years.

Source:

Annual Schools' Census


English Ability

Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils in London lacked fluency in English on their entry to (a) primary and (b) secondary schooling in the last year for which figures are available, broken down by (i) constituency and (ii) local education authority. [143579]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: The available information collected centrally relates to pupils whose first language is known or believed to be other than English. This information has been placed in the House of Commons library.

"First Language" is the language to which the child was initially exposed during early development. If the child was exposed to more than one language and these include English, then English has been taken to be their first language. If a child acquires English subsequent to early development, then English has not been recorded as their first language no matter how proficient in it they have become.

Information on first language is not necessarily a robust indicator of fluency.

Enterprise Advisers (Schools)

Mr. Blizzard: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills by what date all schools in (a) England and (b) the Eastern Region will have access to an enterprise adviser. [143505]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to my hon. Friend with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

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Environmental Awareness

Dr. Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he has taken to encourage awareness of environmental issues in schools. [144212]

Mr. Charles Clarke: Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), which includes environmental awareness, is a statutory part of the programmes of study for Science, Geography, Design and Technology and Citizenship within the National Curriculum. The Department and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) also encourage schools to consider sustainable development issues within the teaching of all subjects. Since 2001, the Department has funded QCA to provide on-line guidance for teachers.

In September, the Secretary of State issued the "Sustainable Development Action Plan for Education and Skills", which is organised around four key objectives:


Further Education

Mr. Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research his Department has (a) conducted and (b) is planning to conduct regarding the proportion of students from (i) further education colleges and (ii) schools who receive offers from research-intensive universities; and if he will make a statement. [143641]

Alan Johnson: The Government are considering the need for such a study.

Higher Education

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list (a) current and (b) proposed government grants available to universities for improving and widening social access to higher education. [143073]

Alan Johnson: Excluding student support, the relevant schemes and initiatives are as follows:

Aimhigher (previously called Excellence Challenge) provides grants mainly to schools and colleges to raise the aspirations and attainment levels of young people. The Higher Education Funding Council for England's (HEFCE) Partnerships for Progression provides funds to universities for outreach. The White Paper "The future of higher education" announced that these two initiatives would be merged to form a new Aimhigher programme. Expenditure on these initiatives to 2005–06 is given in the tables.

In addition, HEFCE uses part of its teaching grant to provide a widening participation premium to universities to assist them with the additional costs of recruiting and retaining students from non-traditional backgrounds. The amount for this is £255 million in 2003–04, which includes £10 million from the Department's Aimhigher/Excellence challenge budget. HEFCE's disability allocation (£10 million in 2003–04)

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provides additional funding to universities to support recruitment and retention of disabled students. Plans for expenditure after 2005–06 will be determined during the next spending review.

£ million

Expenditure:2003–042004–05 plans2005–06 plans
Excellence Challenge/Aimhigher100
Partnerships for Progression20
The new Aimhigher126128
Total non-student support120126128

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which higher education institutions in the North West operate Knowledge Transfer Partnerships; and what steps he is taking to encourage other institutions to participate in this scheme. [143454]

Alan Johnson: A total of nine higher education institutions in the North West received funding for knowledge transfer activities during the first round of the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF). The increase in HEIF funding from £60 million in 2003–2004 to £100 million by 2005–06 will broaden the reach of knowledge transfer activities, including partnerships, through support for less research intensive groups and departments.

Language Study

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils took (a) Japanese and (b) Latin at (i) GCSE and (ii) A level in each year since 1995; and if he will make a statement. [144489]

Mr. Miliband: The information requested is as follows:

(i) The number of schools who took Japanese and Latin at GCSE level is:

Academic yearJapaneseLatin
1995129814
1996141812
1997145771
1998149740
1999162728
2000174732
2001165707
2002165682
2003(13)202700

(13) Figures are provisional


(ii) The number of schools who took Japanese and Latin at A/AS level is:

Academic yearJapaneseLatin
1995147429
1996149429
1997143425
1998155401
1999154369
2000161364
2001165416
2002178415
2003(14)201416

(14) Figures are provisional


17 Dec 2003 : Column 959W

Learning and Skills Council

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the status of the Learning and Skills Council reorganisation plans in (a) Carlisle and (b) Haringey. [144065]

Alan Johnson [holding answer 15 December 2003]: Section 113A of the Learning and Skills Act 2000 gives the Learning and Skills Council powers to propose establishing, closing or altering school sixth-form provision. Regulations require local Learning and Skills Councils to consult on preliminary proposals before deciding whether to publish formal proposals, which are decided by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

Cumbria Learning and Skills Council is currently consulting on preliminary proposals to close school sixth forms in the Carlisle area and replace them with a sixth-form college. The consultation is due to end in January 2004.

London North Learning and Skills Council has consulted on preliminary proposals to close school sixth forms in Haringey and replace them with either a 16–19 school or a sixth-form college. The LSC is now considering responses to consultation before deciding whether to proceed with formal proposals.

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many staff have been made redundant at the Learning and Skills Council since its inception in 2001; [144622]

Alan Johnson: These are matters for the Learning and Skills Council. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.


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