| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
14 Jun 2005 : Column 367W—continued
School Governance
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether (a) primary and (b) secondary legislation would be necessary to allow more flexibility in the structure of governing bodies of schools. [3859]
Jacqui Smith: The existing framework allows governing bodies to determine their own size and composition within a framework of guiding principles based on a stakeholder model. We will consult on any new proposals in due course.
School Meals
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on proposals for training for school catering staff. [3582]
Jacqui Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the response that I gave on 6 June 2005, Official Report, column 476W to his question and to the response that I gave on 8 June 2005, Official Report, column 691W to the hon. Member for North-West Leicestershire (David Taylor).
School Support Staff
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether she plans to require support staff working in schools to register with the General Teaching Council. [3849]
Jacqui Smith:
There are no plans to require support staff in schools to be registered with the General Teaching Council.
14 Jun 2005 : Column 368W
School Transport
Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what Government assistance is available to provide school transport for pupils unable to travel to schools to which they have been allocated by their local education authority by either private or public transport. [4008]
Jacqui Smith: The Education Act 1996 sets out local education authority (LEA) duties and powers relating to school transport. LEAs must make transport arrangements for all pupils of compulsory school age who attend their nearest suitable school, where this is beyond statutory walking distance, and for pupils with transport written into their statement of Special Educational Need. LEAs may use their discretionary powers to help in other situations, including making transport arrangements to schools other than the nearest suitable school, and paying all or part of a pupil's reasonable travelling expenses.
Schools (Cheshire)
Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Cheshire attended by children from Wales in 2005, indicating the number of pupils from Wales attending each school. [3092]
Jacqui Smith: The information requested has been provided in the tables below. To comply with the National Statistics code of practice and associated protocols low counts have been suppressed for individual schools.
'—' Denotes less than 0.05 per cent.
Source:
PLASC 2005 Provisional data
'—' Denotes less than 3 pupils
14 Jun 2005 : Column 371W
Sixth Forms
Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment her Department has made of sixth form provision provided by Palmers College, Thurrock; and if she will make a statement. [4433]
Jacqui Smith: Palmer's College delivers provision for both young people and adults. It was inspected by Ofsted and the Adult Learning Inspectorate in March 2003. The inspection report shows that the overall quality of provision was good. Of the eight curriculum areas inspected, one was outstanding, six were good and one was satisfactory. The leadership and management of the college was also found to be good.
Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps are being taken to ensure that sixth form colleges in areas of high social need with above average drop-out rates receive equivalent funding to that allocated to high schools with sixth forms; and if she will make a statement. [4558]
Bill Rammell:
We have increased funding for further education (FE), which includes sixth form colleges, by £1 billion in 2005–06 when compared to 2002–03—a 25 per cent. cash increase.
14 Jun 2005 : Column 372W
We have brought up funding levels for FE as we said we would, without penalising schools. The Learning and Skills Council's funding rates per course in FE have risen faster than school sixth forms and continued progress will depend on available resources.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what directions she has given to the Learning and Skills Council on funding new school sixth forms. [3840]
Jacqui Smith: None. My officials are, however, working with the LSC on guidance for stakeholders on the operation of the new 16–19 capital fund announced in the Department's Five Year Strategy.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school sixth forms have been established since the Department launched its Five Year Strategy. [3841]
Jacqui Smith: Four additional school sixth forms have been established since the strategy was published in July 2004, following the approval of the necessary statutory proposals. These include sixth forms added to existing schools and sixth forms included in new schools flowing from local reorganisations.
Proposals have been approved for a further three sixth forms which will open in September 2005. Details are set out in the following table.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance she has issued to (a) schools and (b) local education authorities on the establishment of school sixth forms. [3842]
Jacqui Smith: The Department's guidance on statutory proposals for LEAs and for schools includes guidance on establishing school sixth forms. This can be found on the Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/schoolorg
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether she has discussed the establishment of school sixth forms with (a) the Learning and Skills Councils and (b) local education authorities. [3843]
Jacqui Smith: No, but officials have had extensive discussions on the establishment of school sixth forms with national and local stakeholders, including the Learning and Skills Council and local education authorities.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools have expressed an interest in establishing a school sixth form. [3844]
Jacqui Smith: My Department does not collect this data centrally. We are, however, aware of a number of schools with an interest in establishing a sixth form; and local authorities and Learning and Skills Councils will have information about 11–16 schools in their areas that would like to open sixth forms.
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what procedures a school is required to follow to set up a new sixth form. [3845]
Jacqui Smith: A school wishing to set up a new sixth form must first consult and then publish a statutory proposal which is decided by the local school organisation committee or, if they cannot agree unanimously, by a schools adjudicator. The detailed procedures are set out in the Department's guidance for schools on statutory proposals which can be found on the Department's website www.dfes.gov.uk/schoolorg
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether (a) primary and (b) secondary legislation would be necessary to enable new school sixth forms to be set up. [3846]
Jacqui Smith:
Provisions for establishing a new school sixth form are set out in the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998, as amended and regulations
14 Jun 2005 : Column 373W
made under them. No additional primary or secondary legislation is necessary to enable new school sixth forms to be set up.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |