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6 Dec 2005 : Column 1174W—continued
School Location
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many primary age pupils are obliged to travel more than three miles to school; and how many did so in the school year before key stage 1 and 2 classes were limited to 30. [34130]
Jacqui Smith: The information available has been provided in the following table.
| Number and percentage | |
|---|---|
| 2002 | |
| Number | 124,439 |
| Percentage | 3.6 |
| 2005 | |
| Number | 135,533 |
| Percentage | 4.0 |
(16) Distances calculated are straight line.
(17) Includes middle deemed primary schools.
Source:
Annual School Census
It is not possible to address the second part of the question because information of this type has only been available from the Annual School Census since 2002.
School Non-attenders
Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 7 November 2005, Official Report, column 127W, on school non-attenders, what mechanisms are in place to ensure that (a) 16 to 19 year olds and (b) adults on publicly funded courses do not absent themselves from those courses. [31257]
Bill Rammell: Attendance in learning over the age of 16 is voluntary. However our aim is that all young people should stay in learning up to age 19, and continue in learning throughout life, to secure the skills that they, and the economy, need. Participation and attendance in post-16 education and training depends on the quality, relevance, effectiveness and perceived value of the provision and outcomes for each learner alongside sound information, advice, guidance and pastoral care.
Improved retention and attainment is underpinned by general funding principles and individual incentives and sanctions-to earn free funding for leavers, an institution must ensure that they both complete the course and achieve their qualification aims. Among the incentives and sanctions are:
Minimum standards of learner success (based on achievement and retention) for colleges and work based learning providers.
Education maintenance allowances designed to encourage young people to stay in learning by offering up to £30 per week payments for remaining at school or college.Payments and bonuses are stopped for absenteeism.
Adult Learning Grant (ALG) which is payable on the basis of satisfactory attendance at a course of learning, with the allowance being withdrawn if people do not attend.
School Toilets
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) why the regulations governing school toilets in day and residential schools are different; [34822]
(2) what work the Department's School Building and Design Unit has undertaken to review the regulations governing toilets in day schools; [34825]
(3) what plans she has to review the regulations governing the design and maintenance of day school toilets to take account of her plans for extended schools. [34826]
Jacqui Smith: The Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999 recognise the different needs of pupils in day and residential schools. A greater provision is required in the latter because washroom facilities must be located near to sleeping accommodation, with easy access, in addition to the facilities required convenient to teaching accommodation. Some of the daytime provision may count towards that required for boarders if it is in an appropriate location and offers good access to residential pupils.
The regulations do not specify the number of toilets that should be provided for staff and visitors, but do state that they should be separate from those provided for pupils. However, the Department's design team is producing new design guidance for extended schools. This does say that additional facilities may be needed to cope with a wider range of adult and child users, and gives the example of additional adult toilets being needed in a primary school. This should be published early in 2006. A review of the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999 has not been undertaken and is not currently planned.
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the impact of the level of toilet provision in schools on the implementation of her policy on encouraging children to drink water. [34870]
6 Dec 2005 : Column 1175W
Jacqui Smith: The requirements for toilet provision in schools are set out in the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999. A review of these requirements has not been undertaken and is not currently planned.
Schools Commissioner
Dr. Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many staff will be employed by the Schools Commissioner; and what the Commissioner's annual budget will be. [35144]
Jacqui Smith: The Schools Commissioner will be a senior civil servant within the Department for Education and Skills. We envisage that the Schools Commissioner will be supported by existing DfES staff engaged in work connected with the Commissioner's areas of responsibility. The costs of the Commissioner will be met from existing DfES running cost and programme resources.
Science
Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps she is taking to encourage more students to study science at advanced level. [33943]
Jacqui Smith: The Government 10-year Science and Innovation Investment Framework outlines our plans to increase the number of young people choosing to study science, engineering and technology at A-level. We are taking this forward by improving teaching and learning through all school phases by:
introducing a new programme of study for science at key stage 4, leading to new GCSEs. The new programme maintains the breadth, depth and challenge of the current curriculum, while catering for a wide range of students' interests and aptitudes which will ensure that the science taught in schools inspires learners to pursue further study;
reviewing science at key stage 3, especially in relation to the new science programme at key stage 4;
providing innovative and exciting continuing professional development for teachers and technicians through the national network of Science Learning Centres;
improving teacher recruitment in science by increasing the value of the teacher training bursaries for science graduates and 'golden hellos' for new science teachers.
Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) GCSE and (b) A level entries there were in science subjects from each specialist science school in each of the last 10 years, including years before the school acquired specialist status. [33057]
Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not readily available and can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Service Schools
Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions her Department has had with the Ministry of Defence on the publication of the key stage results of children of service personnel who transfer from service schools to the state sector. [34961]
6 Dec 2005 : Column 1176W
Jacqui Smith: No discussions have taken place between my Department and the Ministry of Defence regarding the publication of key stage results of children of service personnel who transfer from service schools to the state sector.
Sexual Health (Sheffield)
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many NHS establishments in Sheffield declined to participate in the Working Together to Safeguard Children" Protocols pilot on sexual health. [28652]
Mr. Byrne: I have been asked to reply.
There has not been a pilot of Working Together to Safeguard Children" protocols in Sheffield.
Supply Teachers
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many supply teachers are on the register; and how many were on the register in each of the past five years. [34133]
Jacqui Smith: The information requested is not held centrally.
Schools have various ways of sourcing supply teachers depending on local conditions. They may maintain their own list, or use a local authority register or an independent agency.
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