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24 Jan 2005 : Column 84W—continued
Out-of-classroom Learning
Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what assessment her Department has made of the merits of supporting research into the costs and benefits of out-of-classroom learning; and if she will make a statement; [209284]
(2) what assessment she has made of the role of out-of-classroom learning in increasing (a) physical activity and (b) inclusivity among school children; and if she will make a statement; [209285]
(3) what practical steps will be taken to increase opportunities (a) within the curriculum and (b) outside the school day for trips and visits for school children as identified in her Department's five year strategy; and if she will make a statement; [209286]
(4) what guidance has been given to academies in relation to the promotion of outdoor learning; [209287]
(5) if her Department will asked Ofsted to conduct a special survey of outdoor education in all schools; [209539]
(6) what plans her Department has to commission further research into the contribution of (a) outdoor education and (b) biology fieldwork to the curriculum; and if she will make a statement; [209540]
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(7) what steps she has taken to ensure that all students experience the benefits of outdoor education as identified in the recent Ofsted report; and if she will make a statement; [209541]
(8) what recent discussions she has had with the teaching unions regarding their position on educational visits; and if she will make a statement; [209542]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: Over the past few years the Department has both commissioned and jointly funded external studies to examine benefits and potential barriers for outdoor education; outdoor learning, including fieldwork; out-of-classroom learning, including museums and galleries and residential experiences; and out-of-hours learning. We may commission further research into specific aspects of some or all of these. We have no plans to ask Ofsted to survey outdoor education in all schools. We have not made an assessment of the role of out-of-classroom learning in increasing physical activity or inclusivity in schools. We have not sent any guidance to Academies on outdoor learning.
We are in talks with the NASUWT regarding their long-standing concerns about out of classroom safety. In particular, we are investigating with them what else we could do to help local authorities and schools ensure that investigations following pupil accidents are fair to school staff, as well as to pupils and their parents. The National Curriculum has statutory requirements in PE and geography for all pupils to experience learning outside the classroom. We are developing further practical steps to encourage schools to expand provision for all pupils, across and beyond the National Curriculum, including trips and visits.
Pupil to Teacher Ratios
Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will set out (a) for the London borough of Redbridge and (b) for the London borough of Waltham Forest, for 1997 and 2004, (i) the pupil to teacher ratio and (ii) the pupil to teacher plus classroom assistant ratio. [209017]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: The data requested are shown in the table.
(36) Includes middle schools as deemed.
(37) The pupil to teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total FTE number of pupils on roll by the total FTE number of qualified teachers regularly employed in schools.
(38) The pupil to adult ratio is calculated by dividing the total FTE number of pupils on roll by the total FTE number of all teachers and support staff employed in schools, excluding administrative and clerical staff.
Source:
Annual Schools' Census
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Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations she has received on the effect of pupil ratios on the allocation of funding to schools. [210130]
Schools Infrastructure
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will publish regular information on the number of (a) schools and (b) children's centres that have been built, rebuilt or remodelled in each of the Department's programmes. [209448]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: We do not have this information across all of our programmes and have no plans to publish it. All local authorities and schools receive support for capital investment from us for their priority needs. In the main, we do not specify how they must invest it; they decide this on the basis of local asset management plans. We do not collect information about these local decisions, in order to keep administrative burdens to an acceptable level. Detailed information should be held locally.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will set intermediate targets for the number of secondary schools to be improved in the Building Schools for the Future programme. [209449]
Mr. Stephen Twigg: We aim to deliver Building Schools for the Future within 10 to 15 years from 2005–06, subject to future public spending decisions. The projects announced from the spending review 2004 will renew an estimated 380 secondary schools. We do not intend to set targets for schools to be included beyond each spending review period.
We will also support improvements to other secondary schools over the next three years through devolved formula capital allocations to every school, formulaic allocations to every local authority, the Academies programme, the Targeted Capital Fund, and the new joint 16–19 capital budget.
Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what definition she uses of the term 21st century schools in the Building Schools for the Future programme. [209450]
Mr. Stephen Twigg:
Building Schools for the Future is the practical application of the Government's commitment to transform secondary education, and will help ensure that secondary pupils in every part of England learn in 21st century facilities.
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To demonstrate what this could mean, we developed exemplar designs for schools fit for the 21st century. The exemplars show how to create high quality, modern school buildings with the latest integrated ICT systems. They show how to provide attractive, imaginative and stimulating environments, which are also safe and secure places for children to learn in. These are some of the requirements that are needed in a school for the future. They should also be inclusive, so that no child is left out and all can achieve their full potential, and be open to wider use, strengthening schools connection with their local communities. Overall, the transformation of the secondary school estate will help to raise standards and will play a crucial part in our ambitious programme of educational reform.
Secure Units
Mr. Dawson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the local authority secure units which have closed since 2000; and what the bed capacity of each was at the time of closure. [209277]
Margaret Hodge: The local authority secure children's homes which have closed since 31 March 2000 are in the following table along with the approved number of residents at time of closure.
| Secure children's homes | Number of residents |
|---|---|
| Briars Hey | 8 |
| Brunel | 8 |
| Dales House | 8 |
| Stamford House | 26 |
| Stoke House | 14 |
| Thornbury House | 7 |
SEN and Disability Tribunal
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many claims of unlawful discrimination have been (a) received and (b) cleared in favour of the claimant by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal in England in each year since 2002; and if she will make a statement. [208112]
Margaret Hodge: In the school year 2002/03 the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST) received 104 claims of discrimination and registered 78 of these. The other 26 fell outside the Tribunal's powers. In 2003/04 it received 108 claims and registered 81.
The SENDIST decided 14 cases in 2002/03 and upheld three of these. In 2003/04 it decided 69 claims and upheld 21.
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