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6 Jan 2004 : Column 292W—continued
Hampshire Local Education Authority
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what (a) the Education Formula Spending Share for 2003–04, (b) the adjusted EFSS for 2003–04 used as part of the 2004–05 local government settlement, (c) the raw educational spending share for 2004–05 before the floors and ceilings and (d) the educational formula spending share for 2004–05 after floors and ceilings are for Hampshire Local Education Authority. [145972]
Mr. Miliband: The figures are provided in the table.
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 2003–04 EFSS | 580.127 |
| 2003–04 adjusted EFSS | 582.313 |
| 2004–05 EFSS before floors and ceiling | 587.937 |
| 2004–05 EFSS after floors and ceilings | 606.795 |
Key Stage 3 Tests
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many pupils have taken Key Stage 3 tests early as a result of the Express Sets initiative referred to in the Green Paper, "Schools: Building on Success"; and if he will make a statement; [144488]
- (2) if he will make a statement on the progress achieved in securing increases in the extent of setting within subjects as set out in paragraph 4.33 of the Green Paper "Schools: Building on Success". [144492]
Mr. Miliband: For 2003 and previous years there has been no readily available means of identifying pupils who took individual subjects or all three Key Stage 3 tests early. However, from 2004 onwards it will be
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possible to identify these pupils and allow evaluation of any projects encouraging the implementation of a shorter Key Stage 3.
Data from lessons observed by Ofsted shows that there has been overall increase in setting at Key Stage 3 from 32 per cent. in 1998/99 to 36 per cent. in 2001/02. Setting has also increased within subjects at Key Stage 3 over the same period, although the extent of the increases varies from subject to subject.
It is not possible for the Department to determine readily whether schools' decisions to enter their pupils for the Key Stage 3 tests early, or increases in the use of setting, have been influenced by national or local initiatives or which of those may have been contributing factors. It is for schools to make decisions about early test entry and whether and how to use pupil grouping to best meet the learning needs of their pupils, although through the Primary and Key Stage 3 Strategies and in our Gifted and Talented programme we will continue to offer guidance and support on classroom practice. We are also exploring through a small project different models for a shorter Key Stage 3, designed to promote pupil motivation, engagement and progression, and to open up curricular flexibilities pre and post-14 through completion of the Key Stage 3 programme of study in two years.
"Making Contact Work"
Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he will publish the Government's response to the report, "Making Contact Work"; and if he will make a statement. [144491]
Margaret Hodge: The Children Act Sub-Committee published their report, "Making Contact Work", in February 2002. The then Lord Chancellor's Department published its interim response in August 2002. Following the Machinery of Government changes last year, I now have lead responsibility for child contact issues. We continue to view children's interests as being paramount and we want to encourage contact between children and non-resident parents where it is in the best interest of the child and safe for all family members.
Working with my hon. Friends in the Department for Constitutional Affairs, we are considering carefully how the family justice system and related children's services can better meet the needs of all children and their parents following relationship breakdown. We want to ensure that better outcomes are achieved for children by, where possible, helping parents agree contact arrangements without the intervention of the courts. We expect to conclude these considerations early in the New Year and that the Government's response to "Making Contact Work" will then be published.
Music Teaching
Miss Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what the average school budget is for musical instruments in each local education authority in England; [145463]
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- (2) how many children in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools do not have access to music lessons in school outside the National Curriculum; [145473]
(3) what progress the Government have made in extending music opportunities in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools since 1997; [145474]
(4) how many children in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools do not have access to a musical instrument. [145476]
Mr. Miliband [holding answer 5 January 2004]: The Government do not determine how much each school or LEA spends on musical instruments, nor do we collect information on how many children have access to a musical instrument.
Since 1999, every local education authority has received Music Standards Fund (MSF) which can be spent in any way that enhances opportunities for pupils to access musical education of high quality. In the vast majority of authorities, this will include specialist instrumental tuition outside of the National Curriculum. According to a recent Survey of LEA Music Services 1 commissioned by DfES, at any moment in time, on average 8 per cent. of pupils will be receiving regular instrumental lessons through their LEA, although many more will be learning music in the classroom or in their own time.
The introduction of MSF in 1999 to protect and expand LEA Music Services has caused a major upturn in music provision. Between 1999 and 2004, some £270 million will have gone to LEA Music Services.
In addition, we have pledged that, over time, all primary school pupils who want to should have an opportunity to learn a musical instrument. Ofsted are currently evaluating 12 pilots which aim to model how specialist instrumental tuition can be integrated with classroom music teaching. The results of the evaluation will be published later this year.
- 1 Research Report No. 478, 30 October 2003. Survey of Local Education Authorities' Music Services. 2002. Sue Hallam and Lynne Rogers, Institute of Education, University of London.
Numeracy and Literacy Targets
Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which of the Government's (a) numeracy and (b) literacy targets for 11 year olds were missed in 2002. [145202]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: The 2002 Key Stage 2 targets for 80 per cent. of 11 year olds to reach level 4+ in English and 75 per cent. of 11 year olds to reach level 4+ in mathematics were set in 1997. The results from the 2002 National Curriculum tests showed that 75 per cent. of 11 year olds reached this level in English and 73 per cent. in mathematics. Results were maintained at that level in 2003.
These results represent a significant improvement—of 12 percentage points in English and 11 percentage points in mathematics—in standards since 1997,
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reflecting the impact of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies on primary schools. We remain absolutely committed, through our new Primary Strategy, to supporting schools to achieve the ambitious targets we have set for standards of literacy and numeracy.
Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of 11-year-olds have reached the required standard in (a) English and (b) numeracy in each year since the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy, broken down by local education authority. [145203]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.
Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding has been provided to implement the Government's (a) numeracy and (b) literacy strategies in each year since 1998. [145206]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, which started in 1998 and 1999 respectively, have transformed standards of attainment in primary schools. The total funding available (including matched funding) to local education authorities in England through the Standards Fund to support the implementation of the strategies in each financial year since 1998–99 was as follows:
| National Literacy Strategy | National Numeracy Strategy | |
|---|---|---|
| 1998–99 | 62.7 | — |
| 1999–2000 | 72.8 | 73.8 |
| 2000–01 | 84.5 | 95.2 |
| 2001–02 | 102.6 | 103 |
| 2002–03 | 101.2 | 101.2 |
| 2003–04 | 107.4 | 107.4 |
Pathfinder Project (School Work Force)
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools participated in the Pathfinder Transforming the School Workforce project in 2003–04; what the total value of that support was; and what financial support will be given to these schools in 2004–05. [144846]
Mr. Miliband: 32 schools participated in the Transforming the School Workforce Pathfinder project that ran during the academic year 2002/03. In total, some £1 million was allocated to the schools in the financial year 2003–04. The Pathfinder project has now come to an end—a full evaluation will be published in the new year. No additional funding will be allocated to the Pathfinder schools in 2004–05.
Mr. Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 8 December 2003, Official Report, columns 287–88W, on Pathfinder projects, if he will publish the table to which the answer refers. [145470]
Mr. Miliband: The information requested is shown in the following tables, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries.
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n/a = Funding will be shown for this project but 'n/a' for the number of schools.
1. Schools may be involved in more than one project, as a result some schools may be counted more than once.
2. The number of institutions involved in the 14–19 Pathfinders are not held centrally.
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the Pathfinder project, Transforming the School Workforce, and its benefits for people in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland. [144745]
Mr. Miliband: The implementation of the National Agreement on Raising Standards and Tackling Workload will benefit teachers, support staff and, most importantly, pupils. The experience of the Pathfinder schools has demonstrated what can be achieved through workforce reform and how those changes can best be managed at school level. The lessons learned from the project will help schools across the country to make the
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best use of their resources and to free teachers to focus on teaching and learning. A full evaluation of the project will be published in the new year.
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