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16 Jan 2006 : Column 1022W—continued
Schools White Paper
Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what functions (a) her Department, (b) HM Inspectorate, (c) School Admissions Forums, (d) Ofsted, (e) the Schools Commissioner, (f) the Schools Adjudicator, (g) local authorities and (h) the Audit Commission will exercise with regard to (i) community schools, (ii) trust schools, (iii) special schools, (iv) city academies, (v) pupil referral units, (vi) federated schools and (vii) foundation schools under the proposals in the Schools White Paper; and what formal powers each body will be able to exercise in the discharge of each function. [37104]
Jacqui Smith:
The Department for Education and Skills will set the overall legislative and policy framework for all schools.
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Admission Forums provide a vehicle for representatives of admission authorities and other key parties to discuss admission issues and consider the effectiveness of local admission arrangements. The function of the Forum is to provide advice on difficult admission issues, information for parents and to broker agreement on arrangements for admitting vulnerable pupils to schools quickly. All maintained schools, including Trust schools, and Academies must have regard to the Forum's advice. Admission Forums will have no functions in relation to special schools or Pupil Referral Units.
Ofsted contribute to improvement and provide accountability through independent inspection and reporting. New shorter, sharper inspections were introduced in September 2005 as part of the New Relationship with Schools. The White Paper proposes that Ofsted should explore the introduction of even lighter touch inspections for high-performing schools. It also proposes that Ofsted should be given powers to investigate complaints from parents.
The Schools Commissioner will be a senior Civil Servant within DfES and as such he/she will be carrying out functions on behalf of the Secretary of State. The Schools Commissioner will have a general role in promoting trust schools, including encouraging the spread of good practice between schools. In particular, the Commissioner will support schools wishing to adopt trusts, for example by brokering relationships with suitable partners and providing model documentation to facilitate the formation of trusts.
The Schools Adjudicator rules on any objections to the proposed admission arrangements of all maintained schools, including Trust schools, and makes decisions on school organisation matters referred to him. Under the proposals in the White Paper, local authorities will be able to propose new foundation schools, propose the closure of all schools and propose expansion or the addition of SEN facilities to all categories of school. Where there is a conflict of interest, proposals will be decided by the Adjudicator. The Schools Adjudicator will have no functions in relation to Academies, special schools and Pupil Referral Units.
The Audit Commission is an independent public body responsible for ensuring that public money is spent economically, efficiently, and effectively in the areas of local government. It will continue to have a role in monitoring the effectiveness of the delivery of school improvement policies.
The White Paper sets out a role for local authorities as the champions of the young people and parents in their area. Local authorities are currently responsible for ensuring that there is sufficiency of supply (as laid out in Sections 13 and 14 of the Education Act 1996). Under proposals set out in the White Paper, the local authority will also be responsible for promoting choice, diversity and fair access. Local authorities also provide challenge and support to schools through the School Improvement Partner. They will have new powers to intervene early in underperforming schools. They will also be expected to consider radical action when a school is judged to be inadequate by Ofsted.
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Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the measures in the White Paper Higher Standards, Better Schools for All" which have been proposed to address (a) root causes of social disadvantage and (b) religious and culture segregation in education. [37780]
Jacqui Smith: As stated in the first paragraph of the executive summary of the White Paper, Higher Standards, Better Schools for All"; its aim is
to transform our school system so that every child receives an excellent education—whatever their background and wherever they live".
All the policies set out in the White Paper will contribute to this aim and will address the root causes of social disadvantage and religious and cultural segregation in education. In particular:
more personalisation enabling every school to provide an education tailored to the needs of every pupil, supported by catch up and extra support for those who need it to ensure that every child reaches their potential;
ensuring that choice is more widely available to all, not just to those who can pay for it, will be delivered by better information, dedicated choice advisers and an extended transport offer to help the least well-off parents exercise choices;
ensuring that school failure and underperformance, which is often most severe in disadvantaged areas, is tackled swiftly and decisively;
ensuring that schools have the necessary freedoms to respond to the particular circumstances that they face in their locality and are able to engage and work with external partners to bring in additional expertise, including through the acquisition of trusts;
ensuring that school staff have the necessary powers to deal effectively with disruptive pupils for the benefit of all children in the school;
creating a new, strategic role for local authorities as the champions of pupils and parents in their area, particularly the most disadvantaged.
Schoolteachers and College Staff
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many secondary school teachers in London have (a) a first class, (b) an upper second, (c) a lower second, (d) a third class and (e) no degree. [40380]
Jacqui Smith: The following table provides degree class information for all full-time regular teachers in service in maintained secondary schools in London in 2004, the latest information available. For comparison, the degree class of those teachers qualifying during 2003 is also provided.
(49)Provisional estimates.
(50)Information for 2nd class honours degrees cannot be split into 2:1 or 2:2 categories.
(51)Includes teachers whose degree class is not recorded, teachers with other graduate equivalent qualifications and a small number of teachers with higher degrees where the class of their first degree is unknown.
(52)Includes teachers obtaining qualified teacher status through a Certificate of Education. Some of these teachers may have gained degree level qualifications after entering teaching but no details of these qualifications are available.
Source:
Database of Teachers Records
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Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) school teachers and (b) college staff there are in each English region. [39805]
Jacqui Smith: Information on teachers employed in maintained schools is collected in January of each year and September for staff in further education colleges. The following table provides the full-time equivalent number of teachers in maintained schools in each local authority in January 2004 and 2005, and the full-time number of staff in further education colleges in September 2004, the latest information available.
(53)Information relates to full-time staff whose primary role is teaching and does not include other staff whose primary role is supporting teaching and learning or other support.
Note:
Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.
Source:
Annual survey of teacher numbers and teacher vacancies, (Form618g) and Staff Individualised Record.
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