| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
19 Apr 2004 : Column 45W—continued
Millennium Volunteers
Mr. Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the Government's policy is on the extension to secondary school pupils of millennium volunteers under the active citizens in schools initiative; how many have been recruited; what assessment has been made of the take-up of volunteers; and if he will make a statement. [165333]
Alan Johnson: The Active Citizens in Schools (ACiS) pilot aims to build on aspects of the Millennium Volunteers (MV) programme and encourage 11 to 15 year olds in schools to make a commitment to volunteering in line with the citizenship curriculum, encourage them to become Millennium Volunteers when they reach the age of 16 and help to engage them in the wider democratic process. Over 4,000 young people have been involved in ACiS. The interim evaluation suggests that ACiS has to date been encouragingly successful, particularly in terms of the number of young people involved and the diversity of opportunities that have been developed. The DfES is planning to roll out the initiative through the extended schools programme from 2004.
Music, Dance and Drama
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list each of the initiatives announced by his Department since June 1997 on (a) music, (b) dance and (c) drama, including (i) the month and year of the announcement and (ii) its cost. [165292]
Mr. Miliband: My Department has supported many projects in these areas since June 1997. In respect of schools and further education, the following programmes have been instigated:
The Music Standards Fund was established in 1999 to protect and expand LEA music services. Approximately £270 million will have been invested by the end of the financial year 2003–04.
13 "Wider Opportunities" pilots in music have been undertaken; in March 2004 I announced £1.5 million investment to help LEAs develop their own pilots.
The Music and Dance (Aided pupil) Scheme began in 1981. The Department has spent a total of £79.914 million on the Scheme from 1997–98 to 2003–04. A new complementary national grants scheme for exceptionally talented children will be piloted from September 2004.
181 of the 259 designated specialist arts colleges since June 1997 have a performing arts (music, dance and drama) or music focus. Specialist schools receive a one-off capital grant of £100,000 and additional recurrent funding of £126 per pupil per year for each of the four years covered by their specialist school development plans.
The Dance and Drama Awards, for post-16 students, have cost £55 million since they were announced in 1998, with a further £15 million allocated for 2004–05.
Dance is one of six areas of activity within the National Curriculum programme of study for physical education. Between April 2003 and September 2006, we are investing over £459 million to transform PE and school sport.
Overseas Students
Mr. Andrew Turner:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to apply parental income tests to students entering higher
19 Apr 2004 : Column 46W
education from EU accession countries; and what estimate he has made of the proportion who will enjoy (a) fee rebates and (b) maintenance bursaries. [164080]
Alan Johnson [holding answer 26 March 2004]: The Government is required under Article 12 of the EC Treaty to treat EU students no less favourably than UK students with regard to tuition fees. Parents of students from the EU accession countries will undergo exactly the same means-assessment as parents of students from England and Wales and existing member states.
It is estimated that the proportion of students receiving financial support towards their tuition fees will average those of students from the current EU countries. EU students are not entitled to receive bursaries or loans for maintenance.
Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many overseas students (a) in total, (b) from Africa and (c) from each country in Africa are studying (i) non-degree, (ii) undergraduate and (iii) postgraduate courses at colleges and universities. [164151]
Alan Johnson: The available information covering HE study in English institutions is given in the table.
(35) Figures for HE study in HE institutions are taken from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and are a snapshot as at 1 December, and relate to the academic year 2002/2003. Figures for HE study in FE institutions are taken from the Learning Skills Council (LSC) and are a snapshot as at 1 November, relating to the academic year 2001/2002. Comparable figures for 2002/2003 will be available later in the year.
Source:
Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and the Learning Skills Council (LSC)
19 Apr 2004 : Column 47W
Pre-schools
Mr. Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assistance is available to pre-schools to enable them to (a) improve their premises and (b) move to a more appropriate location. [165715]
Margaret Hodge: Capital funding is available to support playgroups and pre-schools in extending and developing their services to provide full day care. £6 million was available for this purpose during the period 2002–04 and a further £21.45 million has been included in the General Sure Start Grant for the period 2004–06.
Pupil Referral Units
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of pupil referral units in (a) improving children's behaviour, (b) enabling children to move back to mainstream schools and (c) raising the level of attainment of excluded children. [165472]
Mr. Miliband: According to OFSTED most pupil referral units (PRUs) are well run. Where this is the case they offer a curriculum that has both breadth and depth which is delivered innovatively, they make a very positive contribution to their pupils' outcomes, including improving their behaviour and attendance.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many hours of education per week a child attending a pupil referral unit is required to receive; and what the average number of hours per week received is. [165474]
Mr. Miliband:
A child attending a pupil referral unit (PRU) because he or she has been permanently excluded from school should receive a suitable full time education appropriate to their age and Key Stage. So too, where possible, should pupils subject to fixed term exclusions of 15 days or more. DfEE Circular 11/99 suggests that 20 hours or more constitute appropriate full time education. All local education authorities confirmed that all permanently excluded pupils were in receipt of suitable full time education in September 2002.
19 Apr 2004 : Column 48W
The average hours received could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. PRUs also provide a valuable service, with other institutions, for young people. However, the time that pupils spend at the PRU each day will vary according to their needs. Such pupils might include dual registered pupils (i.e. remaining on their school roll and attending the PRU for specific educational modules e.g. additional basic skills tuition or anger management), sick children, respite for children who have been bullied, and teenage mothers.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |