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3 Nov 2005 : Column 1314W—continued

Literacy and Numeracy

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how much her Department spent on in-house training on (a) literacy and (b) numeracy (i) in total and (ii) per head in each year since 2002; [23428]
 
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(2) how many employees in her Department requested training to improve their (a) literacy and (b) numeracy skills in each year since 2002; [23373]

(3) what steps she is taking to promote uptake of the national tests in adult literacy and numeracy among employees of her Department. [23407]

Maria Eagle: Within my Department, the prime responsibility for developing and coaching staff lies with line managers who are best placed to assess individual needs. Most learning takes place on the job and is supplemented by centrally provided basic skills development through the Department's internal learning and development unit. Since 2002 the internal learning and development unit has spent £7,000 on basic skills activities.

In addition activities take place across the Department which incorporate elements of basic skills within them. It is not possible to separate these out or quantify costs.

Since 2002, 17 people have requested training from the learning and development unit. In addition, there will be other staff who are developed by their line managers where records are not held centrally.

The Department's basic skills framework encourages staff to sit the national tests to gain accreditation and recognition for their learning. The national tests are, typically, part of recognised basic skills programmes.

New Deal

Mr. Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on her Department's contribution to the establishment of the new deal for skills. [21813]

Phil Hope: The Department for Education and Skills is working with the Department for Work and Pensions, the Department for Trade and Industry and Her Majesty's Treasury to develop a package of measures that are known collectively as new deal for skills. As announced in Budget 2004, new deal for skills is a package of measures to help people move from welfare into sustainable, productive work and help adults in employment progress from low to higher-skilled work. For those moving from welfare into work, new deal for skills comprises three main strands: Skills coaching, skills passports and the adult learning option and is jointly project managed by DfES and DWP. DfES has made available £4 million in 2005–06 for the development and trials of skills coaching and skills passports which are being delivered by the Learning and Skills Council to support DWP priority customers.

DfES has been actively involved in the design and development of the DWP-led adult learning option which aims to test the effectiveness of providing financial support to encourage low skilled Jobcentre Plus customers to take full time Level 2 learning where a lack of skills is considered to be the barrier to a return to the labour market.

In supporting progression for those adults in work, the new national employer training programme (NETP), which will be rolled out from April 2006, will encourage employers to develop people at all levels. Unemployed people who are engaged in the new deal for
 
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skills and who join an NETP participating company will be able to draw on the services of a skills coach to help them through their first few months of employment and development.

School Standards and Framework Act

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many times she has exercised powers under section 19 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 in each year since 1998. [24326]

Jacqui Smith: The Secretary of State's power under section 19 of the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998 has provided a powerful stimulus to local authorities to take action in anticipation of any use of that power. The Secretary of State has not so far issued any such directions to local authorities, since in cases where the use of this power may have been considered, the local authority has used its own powers to close the school.

School Transport

Mr. Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children in (a) England, (b) Lancashire and (c) Ribble Valley receive free transport to (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools. [24631]

Jacqui Smith: A joint survey conducted by DfES, the Confederation of Education and Childrens Service Managers and the Audit Commission, covering local authority school transport policies, expenditure and pupil numbers carried, was published for the first time in January 2004. It reported that about 700,000 pupils received free and assisted home to school transport in England, and that just under 13,500 pupils received free or assisted transport to mainstream schools in Lancashire in 2001/02. No more detailed information is available.

Schools

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 25 October 2005, Official Report, columns 217–22W, on schools, if she will list the actions she has approved for each school; and whether she has exercised her powers under section 45 of the Education Act 2005. [24324]

Jacqui Smith: The action approved for individual schools, over and above the input from local authorities, is set out in the following table. In summary, additional funding has been approved for seven schools to improve capacity; 14 schools have been supported by School Improvement Partnership Boards, also with additional funding; an Interim Executive Board (IEB) has been approved for eight schools; Fresh Start proposals have been approved for three schools; four schools are part of London Challenge initiatives; and proposals have been approved for three schools to become Academies. Proposals for further Academies and another Fresh Start are currently under consideration. The power to close a school under Section 45 of the 2005 Education Act has provided a powerful stimulus to local authorities to take action in anticipation of any use of that power and has not yet been used.
 
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School Local authority Date into special measuresFunding
to improve capacity
SIPB IEB Fresh Start Academies London Challenge
The Warren ComprehensiveBarking and Dagenham13 May 2004
Bishop Douglass School FinchleyBarnet13 November 2003YesYes
Clitterhouse Junior SchoolBarnet3 February 2004
Hollickwood Primary SchoolBarnet20 July 2004
St. Mary's CE High SchoolBarnet22 October 2003YesYes
Elmhirst School, TheBarnsley21 April 2004
Sandhill Primary SchoolBarnsley8 June 2004
Oak Bank SchoolBedfordshire24 September 2004
Highters Heath Primary SchoolBirmingham16 June 2004
Oldknow Junior SchoolBirmingham8 June 2004
Darwen Moorland High SchoolBlackburn20 November 2003YesYes
Boundary Community Primary SchoolBlackpool7 November 2002
Immanuel CofE Community CollegeBradford21 January 2004Yes
Rhodesway SchoolBradford18 December 2002Yes
Usher Street Primary School and NurseryBradford10 July 2003Yes
Wedgwood School and Community NurseryBradford12 October 2004
Windhill CE Primary SchoolBradford11 February 2004Yes
Wyke Manor SchoolBradford10 May 2004Yes
St. Andrew and St. Francis CofE Primary SchoolBrent21 April 2004
Hengrove SchoolBristol14 November 2003YesYes
Portway Community SchoolBristol14 November 2004YesYes
Mount Pellon Junior and Infant SchoolCalderdale21 April 2004
Robartes Junior SchoolCornwall24 June 2004
St. Ives Junior SchoolCornwall15 February 2003
St. Meriadoc CofE Junior SchoolCornwall21 April 2004
Tollgate Primary SchoolCroydon14 January 2004
Winterboume Nursery and Infants' SchoolCroydon30 July 2004
Morton Park Primary SchoolCumbria12 November 2003
Wyndham SchoolCumbria2 March 2004
Derby City PRUDerby30 July 2004
Merrill CollegeDerby25 September 2003Yes
Moorhead Primary SchoolDerby8 October 2003
East-the-Water Community Primary SchoolDevon25 September 2003
Adwick Park Junior SchoolDoncaster28 January 2004
Northcliffe SchoolDoncaster27 November 2003
Portland Tophill Junior SchoolDorset30 July 2004
The Old Park SchoolDudley26 April 2004
Flamborough Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary SchoolEast Riding14 January 2004
Rawcliffe Pupil Referral UnitEast Riding11 February 2004
Seaford Head Community CollegeEast Sussex29 January 2004
Ashingdon SchoolEssex4 March 2004
Holy Trinity CofE VC Primary SchoolEssex19 December 2002
Langenhoe Community Primary SchoolEssex27 November 2003
Lexden Springs SchoolEssex20 July 2004
St. Peter's High School and Technology CollegeEssex3 October 2003
Templars Infant and Nursery SchoolEssex4 November 2003
Vange Primary School and NurseryEssex12 November 2003
Sandford SchoolGloucestershire12 February 2004
Bishop John Robinson CE Primary SchoolGreenwich22 September 2004
Holy Trinity CE Primary SchoolHackney30 September 2004
Halton High SchoolHalton12 July 2004
Burlington Danes CofE SchoolHammersmith & Fulham25 May 2004Yes
Hurlingham and Chelsea Secondary SchoolHammersmith & Fulham4 March 2004Yes
Oak Farm Community SchoolHampshire4 March 2004
Downhills Primary SchoolHaringey2 December 2002
Little Stanmore Nursery, First and Middle SchoolHarrow22 July 2004
Owton Manor Primary SchoolHartlepool21 June 2004
King's Wood SchoolHavering30 April 2004YesYes
Weobley High SchoolHerefordshire8 June 2004
Cotlenswood SchoolHertfordshire26 November 2005
Abbotsfield School for BoysHillingdon7 January 2003Yes
Bromstone Primary School, BroadstairsKent20 November 2003
George Spurgen Community Primary SchoolKent12 July 2004
Homewood Infant SchoolKent7 July 2004
Lawn Primary SchoolKent3 April 2000
Minster CollegeKent5 December 2003Yes
St. Mary of Charity CE (Aided) Primary SchoolKent22 July 2004
Whitehill Junior SchoolKent22 July 2004
Endeavour High SchoolKingston Upon Hull26 March 2004Yes
Birkby Junior SchoolKirklees26 March 2003
ETHOS Primary Pupil Referral UnitKirklees10 June 2004
Rawthorpe High SchoolKirklees28 March 2003
Rawthorpe Junior SchoolKirklees29 April 2004
Skerton Community High SchoolLancashire13 November 2003
Intake High School Arts CollegeLeeds29 April 2004
New College LeicesterLeicester City9 December 2003YesYesYes
Queensmead Junior SchoolLeicester City12 November 2002
St. Peter and St. Paul Church of England Primary School, Burgh- Le-Marsh, TheLincolnshire24 June 2003
Sutton Bridge Westmere Community Primary SchoolLincolnshire24 February 2004
The Pinchbeck East Church of England Primary SchoolLincolnshire30 July 2004
Ashcroft High SchoolLuton19 November 2003
Putteridge High SchoolLuton4 March 2004
Meade Hill SchoolManchester10 March 2004
Warren Wood Community Primary School and Language UnitMedway11 February 2004
Mitcham Vale High SchoolMerton2 July 2004YesYes
The Radcliffe SchoolMilton Keynes20 November 2003
Gillingham, St. Michael's CofE Voluntary Aided First SchoolNorfolk11 May 2004
Silverdale SchoolNorth Tyneside6 March 2003
Duston Upper SchoolNorthamptonshire18 September 2003
The Orchard SchoolNorthamptonshire10 March 2004
Sherwood Hall School and Sixth Form CollegeNottinghamshire21 March 2003YesYes
The Gedling SchoolNottinghamshire13 November 2003
East Crompton St. George's CofE SchoolOldham21 April 2004
Hardman Fold Community Special SchoolOldham28 April 2004
Northfield SchoolOxfordshire26 April 2004
Knowle Primary SchoolPlymouth19 November 2003
Hainault Forest High SchoolRedbridge21 November 2003Yes
Redbridge Junior SchoolRedbridge16 August 2004
Bullough Moor Primary SchoolRochdale25 February 2004
Moorhouse Primary SchoolRochdale12 February 2004
Wingfield Comprehensive SchoolRotherham30 March 2004
Harrop Fold SchoolSalford24 June 2003Yes
Irwell Park High SchoolSalford30 April 2003
Moorside High SchoolSalford23 March 2004
The Albion High SchoolSalford20 September 2004
Langley Primary SchoolSandwell5 November 2003YesYes
Rood End Primary SchoolSandwell2 October 2003
Shirecliffe Junior SchoolSheffield8 October 2003
Langleywood SchoolSlough6 November 2003
Middlezoy Primary SchoolSomerset22 July 2004
Severn Beach Primary SchoolSouth Gloucestershire25 November 2003
Prittlewell Technology CollegeSouthend16 June 2004Yes
Thorpe Bay SchoolSouthend10 June 1999YesYes
Cobourg Primary SchoolSouthwark8 June 2004
Galleywall Primary SchoolSouthwark4 March 2003
Robert Browning Primary SchoolSouthwark27 February 2003
Newton-le-Willows Community High SchoolSt. Helens15 January 2004
Amington Heath Community SchoolStaffordshire15 October 2003
Nether Stowe High SchoolStaffordshire17 February 2004
Springhill Primary SchoolStaffordshire12 February 2004
Kirkley Middle (Sec) SchoolSuffolk24 June 2003
Bishop David Brown School, TheSurrey25 November 2003
Potters Gate CofE Primary SchoolSurrey24 June 2004
Watchetts Junior SchoolSurrey2 December 2003
Seven Fields Primary SchoolSwindon26 February 2004
Micklehurst All Saints CofE Primary SchoolTameside2 April 2003
Stretford High School Community Language CollegeTrafford22 January 2004
Church Mead Junior SchoolWaltham Forest1 October 2004
Horizon CentreWarrington24 February 2004
Woolston Community High SchoolWarrington12 March 2004
Hartshill SchoolWarwickshire21 April 2004Yes
Queen Elizabeth SchoolWarwickshire5 February 2004
St. Francis Catholic Primary SchoolWarwickshire29 July 2004
Two Porches SchoolWigan7 June 2004
Corsley CE Primary SchoolWiltshire5 July 2004
Bromsgrove, Catshill Middle (Sec) SchoolWorcestershire22 October 2003
Kidderminster PRUWorcestershire29 July 2004
Leigh and Bransford Primary SchoolWorcestershire6 August 2004
North Bromsgrove High SchoolWorcestershire4 February 2003
Redgrove SchoolWorcestershire16 June 2004Yes

 
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Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools had been in special measures for (a) less than one year, (b) between one and two years, (c) between two and three years and (d) over three years on 31 December in each year since 1997. [24325]

Jacqui Smith: The information requested is set out in the following table, plus the most recent figures at September 2005 for comparison purposes.
Schools in special measures

As at
31 December:
Less than l year1–2 years2–3 yearsOver
3 years
Total
1997240136352413
19982721854911517
1999190198348430
2000191135358369
20011331193710299
200213889349270
2003195891811313
2004158134167315
200593117262238


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