Annex 1
DfES Response to David Clelland MP letter—ODPM
Select Committee
Q1: Overall, educational attainment seems
to be improving in the UK. However, the gap between the coalfield
areas and others does not seen to be narrowing. What specific
initiatives and policies is the DfES developing to help narrow
the gap between the coalfields and other areas?
The Department's major policies and initiatives
are for everyone, no matter what their circumstances or where
they live. However, it is recognised that some people and communities
such as coalfields, need more help or different help, because
of their circumstances. The Department has a range of targeted
programmes and initiatives tailored to help for example, schools
that are struggling, or communities facing deprivation, and, in
addition, we try to build flexibility into the operation of these
initiatives, so that they can be adapted to the particular needs
of specific groups.
INITIATIVES
Early Years—Sure Start, Neighbourhood
Nurseries and Children's Centres which integrate local services
for children and parents many of which are targeted at coalfield
and other disadvantaged areas.
Primary Education—Investment has
focussed on raising standards in English and mathematics. There
have been dramatic improvements in pupils' achievement at age
11 over the last five years. Schools in the most disadvantaged
areas including coalfield areas, have seen the greatest improvement
in performance. Rotherham, Derbyshire, Doncaster, Warwickshire
and Nottinghamshire, for instance, have seen increases above the
national average in both English and mathematics since 1998. The
highest increase in mathematics, 19%, was in Rotherham. In English
the highest increase was 14% in both Rotherham and Nottinghamshire.
Primary Leadership programme, targeted
at under-performing schools helps primary schools develop leadership
techniques for improving teaching and learning across the school.
In 2004-05, we will implement a programme of
Intensified Support for low attaining primary schools which will
operate in areas including Rotherham, Barnsley, Sheffield, Derbyshire
and Nottinghamshire.
Secondary education—Within the
"Key Stage 3 Strategy" there are tailored support programmes
to help pupils below the expected level when they begin secondary
school can attain the expected level at age 14. We are also providing
additional support to LEAs who face the most challenges in raising
standards at Key Stage 3.
The results for the 2003 Key Stage 3 tests show
gains in all subjects from 2002. 68% of 14-year-old are now achieving
the expected level for their age in English and science, and 70%
in mathematics. There have also been significant improvements
in pupils achieving above the expected level in maths and science.
Results from coalfield areas also show that
Durham, Derbyshire, Lancashire, Northumberland and Staffordshire
have all made improvements on last year's results in 2003 in line
with, or above, the national trend.
At key stage 4, in 2002, 51.5% of 15 year-olds
achieved 5+ A*-C at GCSE which is a 2.3% increase over the last
three years. The figures also showed that attainment is improving
in Coalfields areas—GCSE grades A*-C in Coalfields areas
had risen by 5.1% over the last three years and now stands at
41.5%.
This year coalfield areas have received over
£55 million from three major schools initiatives—Excellence
in Cities (12 of in coalfield areas), Excellence Clusters (three
in coalfield areas) and Education Action Zones (17 of which cover
coalfield communities). All three initiatives encourage schools
to collaborate on raising standards and expectations in disadvantaged
communities.
The new Leadership Incentive Grant (LIG) and
Targeted Incentive Grant (TIG) provides additional funding and
support designed to transform the quality of school leadership
and raise standards in schools facing the most challenging circumstances.
In coalfield areas there are eight 14-19 Pathfinders
(North Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Doncaster, Durham, Gateshead,
Sheffield, Wakefield and Warwickshire). DfES and the Learning
and Skills Council (LSC) are together investing £46 million
over three years to 2004-05 to enable young people to benefit
from greater flexibility and choice of programmes.
Connexions provides wide ranging support
for young people aged 13-19 (except those in higher education)
when and where they need it. Funding for additional Personal Advisers
has been made available in many of the Coalfield areas.
Further education—Research shows
that financial constraints can be amongst the most important issues
for young people seeking to access and achieve in further education
(FE). We have put in place a range of entitlements, discretionary
support and incentives by way of the Education Maintenance Allowances,
Learner Support Funds, fee remission and the Connexions Card which
provide a range of general and targeted funding to meet costs
and provide an incentive to learn. The Learner Support Funds provide
specific funding for both transport and childcare. Whilst these
measures are universal, their discretionary nature allows local
learning institutions to provide targeted help and support where
it is needed.
Q2: Most of your initiatives seem to support
large facilities in major urban centres. How are you helping to
improve educational attainment in smaller, rural coalfield areas?
This Department recognises the importance of
empowering communities such as former coalfield areas, supporting
them in bringing about the changes that are needed, in a way that
suits each community. With this in mind we have forged effective
working relations with key coalfields organisations such as the
Coalfields Communities Campaign (CCC) and the Coalfields Regeneration
Trust (CRT), working closely with them to identify priorities
for the future.
We are also aware that there can be smaller
pockets of deprivation, particularly in areas which are predominantly
rural, amongst more general comparative affluence. Some smaller
former coalfields communities will fall into this category.
The Education Formula Spending system includes
full provision for sparsity—that is, the extra costs faced
by very rural areas. At individual LEAs level the rules for school
funding formulae give LEAs wide discretion as to ways in which
to meet the higher costs of small rural schools. We are fully
committed to ensuring that the funding system remains responsive
to the needs of rural schools.
The Small Schools Fund helps small schools improve
their administrative support. This is worth a total of £80
million per year. The funding is particularly intended to support
collaborative projects, such as shared bursars or pooled administrative
staff. Benefits include:
— more time for the head teacher to
spend on their own priorities;
— more opportunity for teachers to
train, plan and prepare;
— more access to specialist staff through
sharing;
— better relations with the local community;
and
— broadening pupils experiences and
opportunities.
To tackle under performance we are implementing
special measures in Schools Facing Challenging Circumstances.
Several LEAs have been approached with a view to establishing
the first School Performance Collaborative. Each collaborative
will comprise secondary schools with poor contextual value added,
and a smaller number with high contextual value added. None of
the schools will be benefiting from the Leadership Incentive Grant.
The aim is to improve outcomes in the schools which are significantly
underachieving at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4.
Wakefield and Durham LEAs have agreed a total
of 11 schools to participate in this two year project and schools
are currently responding to their invitations. Each school will
receive additional funding of £20,000 a year to cover the
costs of participating in this first cross-LEA School Performance
Collaborative.
Extended schools will be particularly
important for rural areas and areas of disadvantage. It gives
them a unique opportunity to offer a one stop shop for children
and families—in and out of school and in some locations,
particularly rural areas, the school may be the only place that
can provide the local community with certain facilities. DfES
are working closely with colleagues in other government departments,
including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,
in developing extended schools.
Mini-Sure Start initiatives aim to serve
smaller pockets of deprivation, particularly in areas which are
predominantly rural. In Coalfield areas these for example serve
around 120-170 children programmes in Greenhill and Woodthorpe
in NW Leicestershire, Newbiggin in Wansbeck and Biddulph East
in Staffordshire.
Q3: The DfES requires a £50,000 financial
contribution from local areas before a Specialist school can be
set up. Many deprived coalfield areas cannot afford this. Is the
DfES considering relaxing these requirements in areas of greatest
need?
There are currently 98 schools from coalfield
communities in the Specialist Schools Programme (1,447 nationally).
The DfES is not considering relaxing the requirement to raise
sponsorship from the private sector as it is a key aspect of the
Specialist Schools Programme. The main rationale behind it is
the need for specialist schools to build partnerships with sponsors
and the local community. As a task, raising sponsorship links
into the enterprising ethos that is integral to the programme
as a whole and it serves as a forum for the school's public presentation
of its plans for specialist designation.
The Government has already reduced the sponsorship
requirement for small schools (with under 500 pupils on roll).
It also grant-aids the Specialist Schools Trust which advises
schools on raising sponsorship and is often able to help with
money donated through the Trust.
However we acknowledge that a number of schools
are having serious difficulties raising the required sponsorship,
often due to their location, and this is a genuine concern. Therefore
in 2002 the Department introduced a new Partnership Fund administered
by the Specialist Schools Trust in accordance with DfES guidelines.
In 2003-04, the fund is made up of £1 million of private
sector funding and £2 million Government funding.
The Partnership Fund is designed to help schools
which can demonstrate that, in spite of their determined efforts
over time, they have not be been able to raise the sponsorship
necessary to apply for specialist school status.
Any school eligible to apply to the programme
is eligible to apply to the Partnership Fund if it can demonstrate
it:
— has been trying to raise sponsorship
for at least a year;
— has undertaken fundraising activities,
for example through the PTA;
— has made significant efforts to raise
awareness about its specialist school plans;
— does not have any undeclared monies
from its own funds which could be used for the purpose of sponsorship;
and
— it has established links with local
business and community groups even if this has not resulted in
offers of sponsorship which could be used for the purpose of a
specialist school application.
Q4: Programmes run by The Learning and Skills
Councils concentrate on the provision of education to the 16-24
year olds. In the coalfield areas, the problem is as much with
older adults. Will the DfES give the LSCs a specific remit to
tackle the skill needs of older adults?
The LSC is responsible for planning and funding
adult learning provision in all local areas, including in coalfield
areas, and is undertaking some excellent work with local partners,
including Jobcentre Plus, employers and local community groups,
to help reskill adults in disadvantaged areas. Relevant local
LSCs are also using discretionary funding to support adults in
coalfield areas, for example to ease the impact of the closure
of the Selby coalfield.
It should be recognised that the DfES requires
the LSC to prioritise learning assistance to adults to ensure
that public funds are invested where they will make the most difference.
Under the Skills Strategy White Paper (21st Century Skills: Realising
Our Potential), The LSC will:
— be giving particular priority to
those unskilled and semi-skilled adults who are not yet qualified
to level 2 by providing an entitlement to free tuition to get
a good skills foundation for improved employability;
— be implementing a new adult learning
grant, dependent on successful piloting, to help others to develop
the new skills needed for alternative employment; and
— expand level three training opportunities
for apprenticeships, technicians, higher craft and trades, and
associate professionals, to meet skills gaps identified by sectors
and regions.
The LSC will continue to work closely with Jobcentre
Plus, Regional Development Agencies, and with the new Sector Skills
Councils as they come on stream, to ensure proper coherence between
labour market needs and the learning provision being made available.
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