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11 Mar 2004 : Column 1747W—continued
Students (South Derbyshire)
Mr. Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many students there were in the most recent academic year for which statistics are available whose home prior to commencing their higher education course was in the South Derbyshire constituency; [157399]
- (2) what proportion of students leaving school or college at 18 whose home was in the South Derbyshire constituency commenced a higher education course in the most recent academic year for which statistics are available. [157400]
Alan Johnson: Figures at constituency level are not held centrally.
The available information covers students accepted for entry to full time undergraduate courses via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) by local education authority (LEA). The figures show that in autumn 2002, 3,508 students of all ages from South Derbyshire LEA obtained a place in HE. In the same year, 22.5 per cent. of all 18-year-olds from South Derbyshire LEA obtained a place.
11 Mar 2004 : Column 1748W
Unruly Behaviour
Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what steps he is taking to address the problem of unruly behaviour by pupils in (a) primary schools and (b) high schools; [156492]
- (2) what plans he has to change guidance to teachers with respect to restraining unruly and violent pupils. [156496]
Mr. Ivan Lewis: We are investing nearly £470 million over this and the next two years in measures to improve behaviour and attendance in schools. These include training for school staff in managing pupil behaviour and reducing and preventing violence. We have also made it clear that head teachers can permanently exclude pupils responsible for violence, and that we would support such action. In January 2003 new Regulations governing exclusions came into force and the DfES issued new Guidance on Exclusion from Schools and Pupil Referral Units, which introduced several changes. Independent Appeal Panels are not able to reinstate a pupil solely on the basis of technical defects in prior procedure. They are also now required to balance the interests of the excluded pupil against the interests of all the other members of the school community.
New legislation in the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 will enable local education authorities and schools to enter into parenting contracts with parents whose children are excluded from school, helping parents who are willing to engage to improve their children's behaviour. Where children are excluded for serious misbehaviour and parents are unwilling to engage, local education authorities may apply for court-imposed Parenting Orders, compelling the parents to attend parenting classes. We have issued "A legal toolkit for schools", which identifies legal remedies available when school staff experience problems with violent parents. Some of these are also available when dealing with violent pupils.
It is not possible to provide details of separate primary and secondary funding as a major element. The Behaviour Improvement Programme, funds partnerships of schools that include primary and secondary schools, and funding decisions are made locally.
We have no plans to change current guidance on restraining unruly or violent pupils. Our current guidance is contained in Section 550A, Circular 10/98, which came into force on 1 September 1998.
We also have guidance in this area for special schools. These are contained in LEA /0264/2003 September 2003 (guidance for LEAs and special schools on drawing up physical intervention policies and risk assessment).