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1 Dec 2005 : Column 781W—continued
School Finance
Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of (a) capital and (b) revenue investment in schools which have received private sector investment in the last five years is accounted for by private sector investment of each type. [32113]
Jacqui Smith: The proportion of (a) capital and (b) revenue investment, in schools which have received private sector investment in the last five years, which is accounted for by private sector investment of each type, is set out as follows.
Except as noted, virtually all capital investment in schools over the period 2000–01 to 2005–06 is estimated to be publicly funded. While no records are kept centrally on local initiatives to generate private sector funding, these are believed to be small scale. Regarding the Academy programme, where the first school opened in 2002, private sector sponsors contribute up to around £2 million towards an average cost of £25 million. Sponsors of Voluntary Aided Schools contribute 10 per cent. towards capital costs.
The proportion of revenue funding from private sources to all maintained schools and academies for the period 2000–01 to 2005–06 has been relatively constant. Accordingly, although data collection in its current form only commenced in 2002–03, and figures have yet to be compiled for the current year, it is most likely that private funding will be less than 3 per cent. throughout this period. This is made up of income provided to the schools from foundation, diocese or other trust funds, business sponsorship, fund-raising activities, and voluntary contributions from parents.
School Nursing
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps her Department is taking to encourage school nurses to develop their work in (a) the classroom and (b) health promotion. [24429]
Jacqui Smith:
The recently published Schools White Paper recognises the value of school nursing and notes that school nurses can play a critical role in supporting schools to promote good health. School nurses are already active partners in helping schools achieve Healthy School status. We have recently produced a new guide for schools detailing the criteria for Healthy School status. The guide recognises the importance of schools involving professionals from appropriate external agencies such as school nurses to support and improve personal, social and health education (PHSE)
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delivery. DfES is also supporting with Department of Health, the PSHE certificate for both teachers and school and community nurses.
In addition, officials from my Department have been working closely with the Department of Health on work to increase the capacity of school nurses both in terms of numbers and the development of their child-centred public health role in line with the Choosing Health commitments. We intend to publish two documents arising from this work:
Looking for a School Nurse?"—modelled on an earlier document published by the DfES (on school bursars). This guide is aimed at head-teachers, setting out both the advantages, and some of the practical considerations, that head-teachers would need to be aware of in terms of having a school nurse either on-site or assigned to a school or cluster of schools; and
An update of the School Nurse Development Pack" (first published by DH in 2001) to outline the principles of a modern role and to enable school nurses to expand their knowledge, skills and competencies.
School Sport
Mr. Michael Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 2 November 2005, Official Report, column 1197W, on school sport, how many secondary schools have disposed of a sports pitch in the last five years. [32363]
Jacqui Smith: The number of approved applications to dispose of an area of school playing field capable of forming at least a small sports pitch in England in each of the last five years is as follows:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 2000/01 | 28 |
| 2001/02 | 29 |
| 2002/03 | 19 |
| 2003/04 | 13 |
| 2004/05 | 11 |
The numbers of above applications that involve the loss of an area of land capable of forming at least a small sports pitch at a secondary school or special school in England in each of the last five years is as follows:
| Number | |
|---|---|
| 2000/01 | 15 |
| 2001/02 | 14 |
| 2002/03 | 15 |
| 2003/04 | 8 |
| 2004/05 | 7 |
Of the total 59 approved applications at secondary and special schools, 21 concerned redundant playing fields at closed schools that were not wanted by any other local schools.
Science A-levels
Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils gained an A-Level in (a) chemistry, (b) physics and (c) mathematics or further mathematics in each year since 1990. [32625]
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Jacqui Smith: The information requested on 16 to 18 1 -year-olds passing GCE A Levels 1993–2005 1 can be found in the following table.
1Includes those achieving mathematics and/or further mathematics A Levels.
(53)2005 figures are provisional.
Special Educational Needs
James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether children with special educational needs have a statutory right to express a preference for a place at an academy over a school maintained by a local authority. [32979]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 29 November 2005]: Parents have a right to make representations to the local authority (LA) for an academy (an independent school) to be named in their child's statement of special educational needs. When this happens and the LA proposes to name the academy, under the terms of the academy's funding agreement it must consent to being named except
where admitting the child would be incompatible with the efficient education of other children and no reasonable steps may be made to secure compatibility".
An academy's independent status, does not affect parents' rights to appeal to the SEN and disability tribunal.
Specialist Schools
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if she will list the subjects in which specialist schools may select by aptitude.; [33210]
(2) how many and what proportion of specialist schools select a portion of their pupils by aptitude in a subject. [33230]
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Jacqui Smith: Specialist schools are bound by the School Admissions Code of Practice. Under legislation there is provision for schools with a specialism to select up to 10 per cent. of students by aptitude in the relevant subjects. Modern foreign languages, performing or visual arts (including music), physical education, design and technology and information technology are prescribed subjects for this purpose. The Government informed the Education Select Committee in November 2004 that regulations would be amended to prohibit new selection in design and technology and information technology while allowing schools already using such selection to continue to do so. A consultation on these proposed regulations closed on 18 October.
We believe relatively few specialists select by aptitude—our figures suggest that less than 6 per cent. of schools that were specialist in summer 2001 did so.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of specialist schools she estimates will adopt trust status under the proposals in the White Paper, Higher Standards, Better Schools for All. [33228]
Jacqui Smith: It will be for individual schools to decide whether to change category to become trust schools. The Government has not set targets for the number of trust schools.
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools are specialist schools; and how many she estimates will become specialist by the beginning of the academic year 2006–07. [33231]
Jacqui Smith: There are currently 2,380 designated specialist schools out of 3,385 maintained secondary schools in England. By September 2006 we expect over 80 per cent. of maintained secondary schools in England to have a specialist designation subject to applicant schools meeting the required standards of the Specialist Schools Programme.
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