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24 Oct 2005 : Column 134W—continued
Detentions
Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many detentions were issued in schools in Greater London in each of the last five years. [21086]
Jacqui Smith:
The requested information is not collected centrally.
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Dyslexia
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many candidates received extra time due to dyslexia while sitting (a) GCSE and (b) GCE A/AS level examinations in 2003–04. [17437]
Jacqui Smith: These data are not collected by the Department because the figures available for the number of candidates who received extra time while sitting GCSE and GCE A/AS level examinations is not broken down by disability or qualification.
Educational Maintenance Allowance
Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations she has received from providers of Work-Based Learning about the replacement of training allowances with educational maintenance allowances; and if she will make a statement. [18703]
Maria Eagle: The Department has received a small number of letters from providers who have made representations through their local Members of Parliament. Each correspondent has received a full response outlining details of the reforms. The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is leading on implementing the reforms and received one representation from the Association of Learning Providers (ALP) in July 2005. The LSC has invited the ALP to join the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) Management Board and has consulted a range of providers through visits, workshops and attending Work Based Learning Provider meetings.
The extension of EMA to unwaged trainees should not be regarded as simply the replacement of the training allowance by EMA. It is a full package of financial support which will extend EMA to unwaged trainees and extend child benefit and child tax credit to their parents/carers. This will mean more money for the majority of unwaged trainees and their families, which are typically low to middle income households. Currently, the parents/carers of unwaged trainees cannot claim child benefit for them and lose income tested family benefits because the training allowance is treated as income for benefit assessment purposes. Those young people who are estranged from their parents/carers, and entitled to claim benefits in their own right, will also be much better off as they will be able to claim income support in addition to their EMA. Currently, these young people lose out because the training allowance is treated as income in assessing their entitlement to income support.
There was strong support from many respondents to the Government's public consultation in 2004 to extend the same package of support to unwaged trainees as was currently available to those who stay on in full time education.
Examinations
Mr. Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many A and A* grades at GCSE were achieved in schools serving the 2,000 most deprived wards in the country in each year from 1997. [16722]
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Jacqui Smith: The following table gives the numbers of A* and A grades in GCSEs achieved by students in schools in the 25 per cent. most deprived super output areas 1 .
| A* | A | |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 33,146 | 80,210 |
| 2003 | 28,654 | 76,520 |
| 2002 | 29,675 | 74,377 |
| 2001 | 28,253 | 72,144 |
| 2000 | 25,730 | 67,670 |
| 1999 | 23,573 | 65,871 |
| 1998 | 21,778 | 61,010 |
| 1997 | 17,036 | 52,549 |
(42) Deprivation classified within the English Indices of Deprivation.
Note:
These figures relate to full course GCSEs only.
Mike Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she expects the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to complete its review of coursework; and if she will make a statement. [20590]
Jacqui Smith: The 14–19 Implementation Plan will set out the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's timetable for completing the review of coursework. The implementation plan will be published later this autumn.
Foreign Languages
Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to increase the numbers of pupils learning a foreign language at (a) primary and (b) secondary level. [19313]
Jacqui Smith: 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 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.
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
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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.
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Free School Meals (Meriden)
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schoolchildren in Meriden are eligible for free school meals; and what the take-up has been in each year since 1997. [19883]
Jacqui Smith: The information requested is shown in the table.
(43) Includes middle schools as deemed.
(44) Prior to 2003 Number on roll" includes all full-time and part-time pupils who are sole registered, excluding boarding pupils. Due to underlying changes in data collection, this coverage was extended to also include all pupils with dual (main) registration and boarding pupils from 2003.
(45) Based upon school level numbers of pupils who had a free school meal on 20 January 2005.
Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schoolchildren in Meriden receive free school meals, broken down by school. [19884]
Jacqui Smith: Information on school meals for each maintained nursery, primary and secondary school in Meriden parliamentary constituency is shown in the table.
(46) Including dually registered pupils and boarding pupils.
(47) Less than three pupils.
Source:
Annual Schools Census
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Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schoolchildren in Meriden whose families are in receipt of child tax credit are eligible for free school meals. [19885]
Jacqui Smith: The information is not collected centrally.
Free school lunch eligibility covers children whose parents receive:
Child tax credit, provided they are not entitled to working tax credit and have an annual income, as assessed by the Inland Revenue that does not exceed £13,910 (2005/06 FY);
Children receiving IS or IBJSA in their own right are also entitled to a free school lunch.
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