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Excellent Schools (Incentives)
Mr. Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what incentives her Department gives to schools achieving excellence. [17294]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 13 October 2005]: The Department offers incentives to schools to achieve excellence in a range of ways. Participation in the specialist schools programme rewards schools for reaching and maintaining rigorous standards. This year we have offered additional opportunities for high-performing specialist schools to take on leading roles. Other examples of how schools are recognised for their excellence include the National Healthy School Programme, which recognises schools that meet standards in four key areas supporting children's health and learning, and Artsmark, which recognises, promotes and disseminates good practice in arts education provision. The value added indicator in the Achievement and Attainment tables is also an important way of recognising the progress that pupils have made between key stages.
Extended Schools Initiative
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2005, Official Report, column 2341W, on the Extended Schools Initiative, what plans she has to monitor whether (a) schools and (b) local authorities are working with the private and voluntary sector as part of the extended schools initiative; and if she will make a statement. [18873]
Beverley Hughes:
The Government's vision for all schools to provide a core offer of extended services is a challenging one and our success will depend upon
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effective partnerships with the private and voluntary sectors. The National Remodelling Team, through its cultural change programme, is encouraging schools and local authorities to work with existing and new providers in the voluntary and private sectors and is offering support to help them do so. This close working will provide a clear understanding of the role of such organisations in providing extended services at the local and national level. The monitoring strategy we are developing with the NRT will also look at the involvement of the private and voluntary sector in developing extended services.
Foreign Languages
Mr. Wareing: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will take steps to encourage foreign language learning in schools in England; and if she will make a statement. [17525]
Jacqui Smith: In March 2005 the Secretary of State for Education and Skills announced a £115 million Boost for Modern Foreign Languages", providing support for language teaching and learning for this and the next 2 years.
For primary schools the funding will provide continuing support for initial and existing teacher training as well as training for support staff. To date we have trained 1,200 new primary teachers with a specialism in languages. Next month we will publish in hard copy and online our Key Stage 2 Framework for Languages, which sets out learning objectives for the four years of Key Stage 2. It will be supported by training, guidance and a planning tool.
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The funding will support new approaches for teaching and learning for 11–18 year olds, including alternative qualifications and vocational options at Key Stage 4 which will provide more flexibility for pupils in their studies. We have expanded the list of qualifications that count towards performance table scores to include more language qualifications.
The funding will also allow language colleges to extend the role they play in supporting local primary and secondary schools in delivering language programmes. Last month the new languages recognition scheme, the Languages Ladder, became available nationally. The scheme can be used by learners of all ages and is available in eight languages. The scheme differs from existing approaches to assessment in that there are separate qualifications in each language for reading, writing, listening and speaking. To date more than 250 centres—including Local Authorities and Specialist Language Colleges—have registered to take part in the scheme.
Finally, our Key Stage 3 Strategy continues to impact positively on pupils' attainment in languages, especially boys.
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what research she has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effect of making the teaching of languages in Key Stage 4 optional; and if she will make a statement. [18582]
Jacqui Smith: The decision to make languages at Key Stage 4 an entitlement subject from September 2004 was taken following national consultation on the 14–19 'extending opportunities, raising standards' Green Paper in 2002. Since that date, no further research has been commissioned by the Department. However, research undertaken by CILT—The National Centre for Languages in 2004 showed that 30 per cent. of state schools maintained languages as a compulsory subject at age 14, in addition to the 224 Specialist Language Colleges where languages are a compulsory subject.
In March 2005 the Secretary of State for Education and Skills announced £115 million Boost for Modern Foreign Languages", providing support for language teaching and learning for this and the next two years. This funding will support new approaches for teaching
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and learning for 11 to 18-year-olds, including alternative qualifications and vocational options at Key Stage 4 which will provide more flexibility for pupils in their studies. We have also expanded the list of qualifications that count towards performance table scores to include more language qualifications.
Foster Care
Mr. Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much a foster family in London received for each child fostered in each of the last five years. [18104]
Maria Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Children, Young People and Families on 12 September 2005, Official Report, column 2688W.
Home Economics
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many (a) boys and (b) girls studied home economics at GCSE in 2004; [17953]
(2) how many and what proportion of pupils studied home economics at GCSE in 2004. [17954]
Jacqui Smith: The number and proportion of pupils who attempted home economics at GCSE in 2004, broken down by gender are as follows:
| Gender | Number of 15-year-old pupils who took home economics | Percentage of 15-year-old pupils who took home economics |
|---|---|---|
| Boys | 1,700 | 1 |
| Girls | 32,300 | 10 |
| Total | 34,000 | 5 |
International Baccalaureate
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 10 October 2005, Official Report, column 352W, on the International Baccalaureate, if she will list the schools with at least one pupil following an International Baccalaureate. [18858]
Jacqui Smith: The information requested is shown in the following table.
Source:
Annual Schools' Census.
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