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18 Oct 2005 : Column 929W—continued

Cumbrian Literacy Strategy

Mr. Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if the Government will extend the Cumbrian Literacy Strategy to dyslexic children elsewhere in the country; [17729]

(2) what the Government's policy is regarding the Cumbrian Literacy Strategy for children with dyslexia. [17730]

Maria Eagle: It is open to local authorities and schools to use whichever strategy they feel appropriate to meet the learning needs of a child with dyslexia. The Department commissioned research, published in 2002, into the effectiveness of intervention schemes for children with literacy difficulties. The research included a number of schemes which make reference to children with dyslexia including Reading Intervention (formerly Cumbria Reading with Phonology Project). The successful interventions readily available to schools were
 
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listed in a subsequent National Literacy Strategy publication on choosing and implementing interventions for children with significant literacy difficulties, and Reading Intervention was among those listed.

The Department has asked Jim Rose, former HMI Director of Inspection at Ofsted, to undertake a review to advise on best practice in teaching early reading, including the role played by synthetic phonics, and the range of provision necessary to support children who have fallen behind in literacy to catch up with their peers. This advice will inform our work to renew the National Literacy Framework for Teaching to ensure that it reflects the most recent and relevant research and evidence for all learners. The review will also inform the work of the new Early Development and Learning Framework which, together with the renewed Literacy Framework, will help ensure that there is a coherent progression path in early literacy for all learners.

Departmental Guidance

Mr. Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pages of departmental guidance have been sent to headteachers in Northamptonshire in each of the last five years. [17103]

Jacqui Smith: The Department ceased sending publications automatically to schools in England on a phased basis between April and December 2004. The service to Northamptonshire was discontinued in October 2004. Our detailed research showed that a significant number of schools wanted greater freedom to choose the publications they wanted, when they wanted them and to be able to order paper copies in the multiples they require. We have given schools this choice by introducing an online ordering system and fortnightly email service, notifying schools of new and important publications. This puts schools in control of what they receive and when they receive it.

Education Institutions (Brent)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the performance of (a) Capital City Academy and (b) other secondary schools in Brent; and if she will make a statement. [16895]

Jacqui Smith: Ofsted inspectors carried out a monitoring visit at Capital City Academy during May this year, focusing on pupil attainment. The visit was very positive and the report noted much has been achieved in the academy's second year and that the principal and governors have 'brought the focus for thinking, planning and action firmly on strategies to raise attainment'. A full inspection of the academy, which will be published on the Ofsted website, is due before the end of this academic year.

The 2005 key stage 3 results are a reflection of some of the improvements mentioned by Ofsted. English was 41 per cent. up from 28 per cent. in 2004 and Maths was 37.9 per cent. up from 35 per cent. in 2004. These figures represent an overall increase of 30.1 per cent. and 24.9 per cent. respectively since opening. Science was 21.8 per cent. down marginally from 23 per cent. but there has been an overall increase of 11.8 per cent. since
 
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opening. The 2005 GCSE results have yet to be released but provisional results suggest that there is decrease from 2004.

In 2004, 54.5 per cent. of pupils in Brent schools achieved five or more A*-C passes in GCSE or equivalent examinations, this compares with national average of 52 per cent.. Provisional results for 2005 at LEA level will be published on 20 October, with final figures and school-level results following in January 2006.

Essex Pupils

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many Essex pupils were educated out of county in each of the last seven years. [18794]

Jacqui Smith: The information requested has been provided in the following table.
The number and percentages of pupils living within Essex that are educated out of the county from 2002–05 at (a) primary,(b) secondary and (c) special schools

	Total pupils resident in Essex	Number of pupils resident in Essex educated outside of the authority	Percentage of pupils resident in Essex educated outside of the authority
2005	202,883	8,554	4.2
2004	203,408	8,458	4.2
2003	203,005	8,408	4.1
2002	201,712	8,043	4.0

	Resident pupils in Essex	Number educated outside authority	Percentage educated outside authority
Primary
2005	108,988	1,973	1.8
2004	110,136	1,932	1.8
2003	111,048	1,930	1.7
2002	112,132	1,853	1.7
Secondary
2005	92,010	6,379	6.9
2004	91,387	6,300	6.9
2003	90,009	6,231	6.9
2002	87,904	6,008	6.8
Special
2005	1,878	202	10.8
2004	1,885	226	12.0
2003	1,948	247	12.7
2002	1,852	182	9.8

Source:
Annual School Census 2002–05 Final data




 
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Examination Markers/Results

Mrs. Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many examiners and moderators employed to mark GCSE, AS, and A Level examination papers in 2005 were not current teachers or former teachers; and if she will make a statement. [16540]

Jacqui Smith: The exam regulators' code of practice requires that candidates' work should be marked by trained examiners with appropriate subject experience. The regulatory authorities have never specified a teaching experience requirement for examiners and markers, although the awarding bodies may set a requirement when they recruit staff. The awarding bodies responsible for GCSE and A level qualifications have assured the regulators that they followed the code of practice during the 2005 summer exam series. No data is available on the total number of markers who were not current or former teachers, though the number is believed to be very small, and any such markers would have received appropriate training and have their performance monitored. Through the exams modernisation programme, a significant number of new examiners have been recruited over the last year, tackling shortages of examiners in almost all subjects.

Mr. Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many A and A* grades at GCSE were achieved in each year from 1997, broken down by (a) type of school and (b) gender. [16721]

Jacqui Smith: The following table gives the figures requested.
Numbers of A* and A grades achieved by students in GCSE courses, by school type and gender: 1997 to 2004

		2004		2003		2002		2001
		A*	A	A*	A	A*	A	A*	A
Maintained schools
Comprehensive	Boys	55,582	166,846	49,387	158,959	48,835	151,897	48,576	147,499
	Girls	89,650	250,095	80,594	239,655	80,101	228,235	78,644	223,988
	Total	145,232	416,941	129,981	398,614	128,936	380,132	127,220	371,487
Selective	Boys	18,638	31,741	16,174	31,326	15,402	29,745	14,303	28,679
	Girls	24,831	37,311	22,071	36,465	21,414	35,385	19,839	34,932
	Total	43,469	69,052	38,245	67,791	36,816	65,130	34,142	63,611
Modern	Boys	727	3,677	754	3,500	707	3,301	638	3,252
	Girls	1,502	6,795	1,329	6,073	1,228	5,736	1,286	5,618
	Total	2,229	10,472	2,083	9,573	1,935	9,037	1,924	8,870
Other maintained	Boys	15	71	8	73	9	52	14	83
	Girls	15	41	15	34	12	88	15	79
	Total	30	112	23	107	21	140	29	162
Independent
	Boys	41,433	54,448	36,254	53,366	36,037	52,538	34,047	51,922
	Girls	49,833	57,484	44,899	56,644	43,023	56,021	41,626	55,508
	Total	91,266	111,932	81,153	110,010	79,060	108,559	75,673	107,430
Total	Boys	116,395	256,783	102,577	247,224	100,990	237,533	97,578	231,435
	Girls	165,831	351,726	148,908	338,871	145,778	325,465	141,410	320,125
	Total	282,226	608,509	251,485	586,095	246,768	562,998	238,988	551,560

 
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		2000		1999		1998		1997
		A*	A	A*	A	A"	A	A*	A
Maintained schools
Comprehensive	Boys	43,271	140,797	41,250	136,292	38,608	128,013	37,054	126,669
	Girls	72,030	214,607	67,697	204,941	61,572	192,310	54,897	189,582
	Total	115,301	355,404	108,947	341,233	100,180	320,323	91,951	316,251
Selective	Boys	12,596	27,327	11,870	26,578	10,308	24,863	8,967	23,988
	Girls	18,419	32,848	16,404	32,060	14,663	30,202	12,006	30,222
	Total	31,015	60,175	28,274	58,638	24,971	55,065	20,973	54,210
Modern	Boys	483	2,573	399	2,286	309	1,904	289	1,844
	Girls	1,130	4,876	884	4,187	756	3,826	605	3,559
	Total	1,613	7,449	1,283	6,473	1,065	5,730	894	5,403
Other maintained	Boys	17	62	33	79	35	64	7	54
	Girls	16	65	27	61	28	63	10	67
	Total	33	127	60	140	63	127	17	121
Independent
	Boys	30,102	50,793	30,212	50,786	26,897	51,985	25,098	52,693
	Girls	38,744	54,442	36,664	53,333	34,297	54,183	29,401	55,645
	Total	68,846	105,235	66,876	104,119	61,194	106,168	54,499	108,338
Total	Boys	86,469	221,552	83,764	216,021	76,157	206,829	71,415	205,248
	Girls	130,339	306,838	121,676	294,582	111,316	280,584	96,919	279,075
	Total	216,808	528,390	205,440	510,603	187,473	487,413	168,334	484,323

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