House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 12 Jan 2004 (pt 23)

12 Jan 2004 : Column 575W—continued

Child Protection

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children were considered at risk from abuse in (a) England and (b) Wales in 2002–03. [145691]

Margaret Hodge: Details of the number of children and young people on child protection registers in England for the period 2002–03 will be published by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) on Thursday 29 January 2004.

At 31 March 2002 there were 25,700 children and young people on child protection registers in England, just over 4 per cent less than a year earlier.

Information is not collected by DfES on the number of children who are considered at risk from abuse in Wales.

Food Technology

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of hours spent each week teaching food technology in years one to nine; and what proportion of that time involves practical cooking skills. [146346]

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Mr. Stephen Twigg: No estimate has been made of the amount of time schools spend on teaching food technology. Food technology is part of the design and technology curriculum, and, as with all subjects, it is for individual schools to plan their timetable. Schools allocate time to each subject to meet the needs of their pupils and to fulfil the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum. 'Designing and Timetabling the Primary Curriculum', published in 2002 by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and 'Designing the Key Stage 3 Curriculum', published by DfES in 2002 provide guidance for schools.

We are encouraging schools to undertake more practical cookery as part of our joint Food in Schools programme with the Department of Health.

Free School Meals

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools have fallen below the 20 per cent. threshold of pupils taking free school meals in the past five years. [145424]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: The information is given separately for pupils taking free school meals and for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals in primary and secondary schools over the last five years.

Maintained primary and secondary schools⁽¹³⁾: proportion of school population known to be eligible for a free school meal.Position in January each year 1999 to 2003—England

Maintained Primary Schools 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Number of schools by proportion of school population known to be eligible for free school meals⁽¹⁴⁾

Below 20 per cent. 12,230 12,368 12,534 12,639 12,631

20 per cent. and over 6,004 5,790 5,535 5,346 5,230

Total number of schools 18,234 18,158 18,069 17,985 17,861

Percentage of schools by proportion of school population known to be eligible for free school meals⁽¹⁵⁾

Below 20 per cent. 67.1 68.1 69.4 70.3 70.7

20 per cert. and over 32.9 31.9 30.6 29.7 29.3

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Maintained Secondary Schools

Number of schools by proportion of school population known to be eligible for free school meals⁽¹⁴⁾

Below 20 per cent. 2,367 2,397 2,421 2,491 2,502

20 per cent. and over 1,193 1,153 1,060 966 934

Total number of schools 3,560 3,550 3,481 3,457 3,436

Percentage of schools by proportion of school population known to be eligible for free school meals⁽¹⁵⁾

Below 20 per cent. 66.5 67.5 69.5 72.1 72.8

20 per cent. and over 33.5 32.5 30.5 27.9 27.2

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Maintained Primary Schools	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003


	Number of schools by proportion of school population known to be eligible for free school meals⁽¹⁴⁾
Below 20 per cent.	12,230	12,368	12,534	12,639	12,631
20 per cent. and over	6,004	5,790	5,535	5,346	5,230
Total number of schools	18,234	18,158	18,069	17,985	17,861

	Percentage of schools by proportion of school population known to be eligible for free school meals⁽¹⁵⁾
Below 20 per cent.	67.1	68.1	69.4	70.3	70.7
20 per cert. and over	32.9	31.9	30.6	29.7	29.3
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0

	Maintained Secondary Schools
	Number of schools by proportion of school population known to be eligible for free school meals⁽¹⁴⁾
Below 20 per cent.	2,367	2,397	2,421	2,491	2,502
20 per cent. and over	1,193	1,153	1,060	966	934
Total number of schools	3,560	3,550	3,481	3,457	3,436

	Percentage of schools by proportion of school population known to be eligible for free school meals⁽¹⁵⁾
Below 20 per cent.	66.5	67.5	69.5	72.1	72.8
20 per cent. and over	33.5	32.5	30.5	27.9	27.2
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0

⁽¹³⁾ Includes middle schools as deemed.

⁽¹⁴⁾ Prior to 2001 figures relate to number of pupils known to be eligible for a free school meal. From 2001 this definition was expanded to include only pupils who were known to be eligible for and claiming a free school meal.

⁽¹⁵⁾ Number of schools in each band expressed as a percentage of all schools.

Source:

Annual Schools' Census

12 Jan 2004 : Column 577W

Maintained primary and secondary schools⁽¹⁶⁾: proportion of school population who took a free school mealPosition in January each year 1999 to 2003—England

Maintained Primary Schools 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Number of schools by proportion of school population taking a free school meal⁽¹⁷⁾

Below 20 per cent. 13,602 13,601 13,870 13,865 13,735

20 per cent. and over 4,632 4,557 4,199 4,120 4,126

Total number of schools 18,234 18,158 18,069 17,985 17,861

Percentage of schools by proportion of school population taking a free school meal⁽¹⁸⁾

Below 20 per cent. 74.6 74.9 76.8 77.1 76.9

20 per cert. and over 25.4 25.1 23.2 22.9 23.1

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Maintained Secondary Schools

Number of schools by proportion of school population taking a free school meal⁽¹⁷⁾

Below 20 per cent. 2,845 2,839 2,858 2,870 2,856

20 per cent. and over 715 711 623 587 580

Total number of schools 3,560 3,550 3,481 3,457 3,436

Percentage of schools by proportion of school population taking a free school meal⁽¹⁸⁾

Below 20 per cent. 79.9 80.0 82.1 83.0 83.1

20 per cent. and over 20.1 20.0 17.9 17.0 16.9

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Maintained Primary Schools	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003


	Number of schools by proportion of school population taking a free school meal⁽¹⁷⁾
Below 20 per cent.	13,602	13,601	13,870	13,865	13,735
20 per cent. and over	4,632	4,557	4,199	4,120	4,126
Total number of schools	18,234	18,158	18,069	17,985	17,861

	Percentage of schools by proportion of school population taking a free school meal⁽¹⁸⁾
Below 20 per cent.	74.6	74.9	76.8	77.1	76.9
20 per cert. and over	25.4	25.1	23.2	22.9	23.1
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0

	Maintained Secondary Schools
	Number of schools by proportion of school population taking a free school meal⁽¹⁷⁾
Below 20 per cent.	2,845	2,839	2,858	2,870	2,856
20 per cent. and over	715	711	623	587	580
Total number of schools	3,560	3,550	3,481	3,457	3,436

	Percentage of schools by proportion of school population taking a free school meal⁽¹⁸⁾
Below 20 per cent.	79.9	80.0	82.1	83.0	83.1
20 per cent. and over	20.1	20.0	17.9	17.0	16.9
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0

⁽¹⁶⁾ Includes middle schools as deemed.

⁽¹⁷⁾ Proportion of school population taking a free school meal on the day of the Census in January.

⁽¹⁸⁾ Number of schools in each band expressed as a percentage of all schools.

Source:

Annual Schools' Census

Information Technology

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to increase the information technology skills of teaching staff. [146660]

Mr. Charles Clarke: A range of materials to enable teachers to fully embed ICT in their subject teaching have been developed. Materials covering Key Stage 1 and 2 literacy and numeracy, including Foundation Stage, and Key Stage 3 science were launched in 32 LEA areas last year. These subjects, together with Key Stage 3 English, maths, art, geography, design and technology, ICT and modern foreign languages were formally launched nationally at the BETT2004 Exhibition at Olympia this week. Further subjects will follow later. In addition to the materials, extensive one-to-one mentoring and online peer group support are an integral part of these courses.

The Department has contracted a number of commercial providers to develop these materials and schools are able to buy into them using Standards Fund money.

Training in the effective use of ICT in teaching is a mandatory part of Teacher Training Institute training courses.

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures are in place to promote recruitment of teachers of information and communication technology. [146664]

Mr. Miliband: From September 2000, £6,000 training bursaries have been offered to postgraduate trainee teachers. £4,000 Golden Hellos are also available to those

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who go on to teach priority subjects, including information and communication technology, in a maintained school. Since September 2002, these incentives have been reinforced by the Repayment of Teachers' Loans scheme piloted for three years for new teachers of priority subjects. These incentives have helped to more than double recruitment to courses of initial teacher training in information and communication technology between 1999/2000 and 2003/04.

KPMG Services

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the services to be provided to schools by KPMG which he announced on 29 October, including the number of schools to be visited and the expected average duration of that visit; and if he will make a statement on changes in the extent and scope of the work in the period since he first announced the programme. [145614]

Mr. Stephen Twigg [holding answer 5 January 2004]: KPMG and the National College for School Leadership (NCSL), in consultation with key stakeholders including local authority, teacher and governor associations, have jointly developed a range of budget management support for schools, including online materials, workshops and consultancy services. The programme of workshops, which will be rolled out from January to March 2004 will be available to 1,000 schools and follow-up surgeries will be available, on a regional basis, for up to 125 schools with pressing and complex problems. The website containing online support materials was launched on 15 December and is available to all schools, as will be the central helpdesk, run by NCSL and available from this month.

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