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15 Feb 2006 : Column 2074W—continued
Mathematics
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students chose to take (a) mathematics and (b) further mathematics A-level in each academic year between 1997 and 2006 in (i) Leicester and (ii) England. [51006]
Jacqui Smith: The following table shows GCE A level entries in Mathematics and Further Mathematics in Leicester Local Authority and in England
Note:
The figures include students in maintained school sixth forms, Academies, City Technology Colleges, Sixth Form Colleges and general FE Sector Institutions. Independent schools are not included.
National Institute of Economic and Social Research
Mr. Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding the National Institute of Economic and Social Research received in each year since 1997–98 in (a) framework and (b) projected funding; and what the purpose was in each case. [49816]
Bill Rammell: To gather this information would accrue a disproportionate cost. What I can do is provide details of public funding awarded to the National Institute of Economic and Social Research as payment for carrying out research projects on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills.
New School Buildings
Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment her Department has made of the suitability of former landfill sites for the development of new school buildings; and how many new schools have been built on such sites in each local education authority area in the North West of England. [51138]
Jacqui Smith: The Department has not carried out any studies on the suitability of using former landfill sites for the development of new school buildings, and nor does it have any data on how many schools have been built on such sites. Local planning authorities may well hold this information.
Ofsted
Mr. Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the savings made in the last two financial years as a consequence of a lighter touch process for Ofsted inspections. [50124]
Jacqui Smith: The new lighter touch inspection of schools commenced in September 2005. Changes in the delivery of inspections will result in annual savings within Ofsted of £15 million.
School Food
Mr. Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many primary schools in England have vending machines that offer chocolate. [49859]
Jacqui Smith: This information is not collected centrally.
School Funding (Data)
Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if, in her review of the funding methodology for schools from 2006–07, she will make it her policy to ensure full comparability of data with earlier years. [49418]
Jacqui Smith:
Following the changes to school and local authority funding for 2006–07 and 2007–08, the Department is working on figures for spending on school provision in earlier years that are comparable with the new funding system based around the Dedicated Schools Grant, on both a cash and per pupil basis, and will place them in the Library as soon as they are available. As we take forward the review of funding
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for schools, we will keep in mind the need to maintain comparability of data going forward to 2008–09 and beyond.
School Hours
Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what her policy is on the time of day at which children start school; [50266]
(2) at what time of day secondary school children start school in each local education authority area; [50274]
(3) what research she has evaluated on the time of day at which school children in EU member states start school; and if she will make a statement. [50272]
Jacqui Smith: The governing body of each maintained school determines the time at which schools start, and this is not uniform within individual local education authority areas. My Department does not collect information on start times in individual schools. I have not received any research on the time of day at which school children in EU member states start school.
School Music Facilities
Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding her Department has made available for school music facilities in (a) Tamworth and (b) England in each academic year since 1997. [51416]
Jacqui Smith: Capital allocations made to Staffordshire local authority and its schools are set out in the following table:
| £ million | |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | 7.4 |
| 1998–99 | 28.4 |
| 1999–2000 | 18.5 |
| 2000–01 | 34.1 |
| 2001–02 | 27.4 |
| 2002–03 | 32.9 |
| 2003–04 | 35.5 |
| 2004–05 | 41.1 |
| 2005–06 | 29.2 |
Capital allocations to local authorities and schools are higher than ever before. In 2005–06 they are £5.5 billion and they are planned to rise to £6.3 billion in 2007–08, an increase from £683 million in 1996–97.
Capital allocations made to local authorities and schools in England since 1997–98 are set out in the table below:
| £ billion | |
|---|---|
| 97–98 | 0.6 |
| 98–99 | 1.3 |
| 99–00 | 1.6 |
| 00–01 | 2.5 |
| 01–02 | 2.5 |
| 02–03 | 3.3 |
| 03–04 | 4.2 |
| 04–05 | 4.9 |
| 05–06 | 5.5 |
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Allocations are made on a financial year basis, not the academic year. It is the responsibility of schools and local authorities to determine how they allocate these funds to different projects, including enhancing school music facilities, taking account of local needs and priorities.
Records are not held centrally that show how much of this funding is spent on school music facilities, neither am I able to provide a breakdown for Tamworth.
School Selection
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what factors she took into account when deciding not to allow selection in schools by academic ability. [50799]
Jacqui Smith: Since 1998, it has been unlawful for schools to introduce new selection by high academic ability. It has long been our view that selection by academic ability is divisive.
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what factors she took into account when deciding to allow selection in schools by (a) sporting and (b) physical ability. [50800]
Jacqui Smith: Schools with certain specialisms, including physical education or sport have, since 1999, been able to select up to 10 per cent. of their pupils based upon their aptitude for subjects prescribed by the Education (Aptitude for Particular Subjects) Regulations 1999.
We allow this flexibility so that pupils with an aptitude in one of the prescribed subjects can gain access to schools with specialist teaching when they might not otherwise have been able to do so. Physical education and sport were prescribed because we considered that it was possible to assess aptitude in them as opposed to academic ability.
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It is for schools' admission authorities to determine whether they wish to adopt these arrangements.
Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the criteria on which maintained secondary schools may select pupils. [50805]
Jacqui Smith: Maintained secondary schools may select 10 per cent. of their intake by ability in subjects prescribed by the Education (Aptitude for Particular Subjects) Regulations 1999. Any tests used must be to assess aptitude for the particular subject, and not ability or aptitude for another subject.
Legislation prevents schools from introducing selection by academic ability as part of their admission arrangements, and only those schools that selected on this basis before 1998 may continue to do so.
Grammar schools and schools which are allowed to continue to select part of their intake on the basis of high academic ability may allocate places to top scorers in their entrance test, or set a pass mark. Where there is a pass mark, if more children pass the test than there are places available, the school must apply other criteria to determine who to make offers to. These admission criteria must comply with legislation and be set with regard to guidance in the School Admissions Code of Practice, which requires them to be clear, fair, and objective.
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