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16 Mar 2004 : Column 227W—continued

School Building (Sports)

Mr. Doug Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance Partnership for Schools has been given on delivering sports and physical activity resources as part of the Building Schools for the Future programme. [159863]

Mr. Miliband: The Department is currently developing material to assist with the development of the local vision, including how best to deliver sports and physical activity resources, for first wave projects under the Building Schools for the Future programme, which will be shared with Partnership for Schools.

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Drinking Water (Schools)

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions he has had with the building contractors for the Building Schools for the Future programme on the provision of drinking water in schools; and if he will make a statement. [161356]

Mr. Miliband: No contractors have yet been appointed for the Building Schools for the Future programme but the provision of drinking water will be the subject of design advice to the local contractors.

Ms Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what assessment his Department has made of the (a) behaviour, (b) achievement and (c) health of pupils in schools with all-day access to drinking water; and if he will make a statement; [161353]

Mr. Stephen Twigg: The Department for Education and Skills has made no assessments concerning drinking water.

Education Funding (Crosby)

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public money has been spent on repairing schools in Crosby in each year since 1997. [160403]

Mr. Miliband: We do not hold information in the form requested. Capital allocations are now largely made by formulae to local authorities and schools, linked to Asset Management Plans. In addition, all schools have, since 2000–01, received Devolved Formula capital to use on their most urgent capital needs. The following table shows capital funding allocated to Sefton local education authority and its schools since 1997–98.

Capital allocations to Sefton LEA

Allocation (£000)
1997–981,630
1998–991,802
1999–20004,562
2000–019,388
2001–0211,146
2002–0315,980
2003–0416,930

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much funding each school in Crosby has received from the New Deal for Schools. [160405]

Mr. Miliband: The following table shows the schools in the Crosby constituency that benefited from investment through the New Deal for Schools programme, which commenced in 1997–98. From 2000–01, capital allocations have largely been made by formulae linked to Asset Management Plans. In addition, all schools have, since 2000–01, received Devolved Formula capital to use on their most urgent capital needs.

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New Deal for schools—Allocations to schools in the Crosby constituency

SchoolProject detailsGrant awarded (£)
Included in LEA wide package:
1997/98Sacred Heart Catholic High SchoolRefit of three science laboratories(9)836,000
Range High SchoolRefit of three science laboratories
1998/99Holy Trinity Primary SchoolRewiring55,850
Holy Trinity Primary SchoolHeating repairs44,680
2000/01Forefield Infant SchoolReplace temporary classrooms513,231
Waterloo Primary SchoolReplacement of dining room398,079
St. Luke's Church of England Primary SchoolReplace temporary classrooms605,594
Forefield Junior SchoolReplacement of temporary accommodation393,539

(9) For NDS 1 the £836,000 grant allocated was for Sefton LEA wide projects, part of which was used to refit three science laboratories at each of two schools. The LEA will be able to say how much was allocated to each school.


Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the percentage change in the science budget in schools has been in Crosby since 2000. [160414]

Mr. Miliband: My Department does not collect this information.

Excellence in Cities Programme

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in Buckingham have benefited from the Excellence in Cities Programme; and what the per pupil spending was in each year since the programme's inception. [161584]

Mr. Miliband: No schools in Buckingham itself are in the Excellence in Cities programme as the authority does not meet the inclusion criteria. However, there is an Excellence Cluster in High Wycombe which serves a small pocket of deprivation within the authority. This has been in operation since September 2002.

The average spend per pupil in the High Wycombe cluster was £62.50 in 2002–03 and £106 in 2003–04.

Extended Schools

Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make it his policy to enable local education authorities which are experiencing falling school rolls to use surplus capacity to develop (a) extended schools under the Government's extended schools programme and (b) the co-location of health, social services and parenting support provided by local agencies. [161135]

Mr. Stephen Twigg [holding answer 15 March 2004]: Yes, schools can use surplus school places to provide capacity for extended services which can include the co-location of services provided by other agencies such as health, social services and parenting support. Schools are being encouraged to do this.

Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made on the implementation of the extended schools programme; and if he will make a statement. [161136]

Mr. Stephen Twigg [holding answer 15 March 204]: The Department for Education and Skills has made considerable progress on the implementation of the extended schools programme. The Education Act 2002 includes a new power for school governors to provide family and community services. In October 2002 we issued guidance on setting up extended services along

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with related guidance on developing child care facilities. 25 LEAs were funded in 2002–03 as pathfinders. The aim of the pathfinders was to test out a variety of approaches used by schools and authorities in the development of family and community facilities and services on school premises. Evaluation findings will be made available shortly.

Over the period 2003–06, the Department for Education and Skills is making funding available to create up to 240 full service extended schools, with at least one in each LEA area. 60 full service extended schools are being created this year. We are also making funding available over the same period for the planning, development and management of extended services in other schools. By 2006 this funding will cover all LEAs.

Mr. Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what funds he has made available to develop extended schools in Southampton; [161133]

Mr. Stephen Twigg [holding answer 15 March 2004]: Southampton LEA will receive £168,480 through the Standards Fund in 2004–05 to develop one full service extended school, providing a prescribed core set of services, with further funding available in 2005–06. In addition, £26,000 in 2004–05 and £26,500 in 2005–06 has been allocated to Southampton local authority as part of its general Sure Start Grant for the development of child care services in the full service extended school. The LEA will also receive funding in 2005–06 for the co-ordination and management of extended services in other schools, with additional funding allocated to the authority at the same time to develop child care services in extended schools. There is no bidding process involved in the allocation of extended schools funding.

Failing Schools (Buckinghamshire)

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools in Buckinghamshire deemed to be failing since 1997 have since reached satisfactory standards. [161582]

Mr. Miliband: Since January 1997, 11 schools (six primary, four secondary, one special) in Buckinghamshire have been deemed to be failing. Of those, seven recovered sufficiently to have the special measures designation removed, one had a successful Fresh Start, and three closed altogether.

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