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27 Feb 2006 : Column 548W—continued
Key Skills Training
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much her Department has allocated for key skills training in secondary schools in (a) Leicestershire and (b) England in each year since the beginning of the scheme. [51729]
Jacqui Smith: Training for key skills teachers is provided through the Key Skills Support Programme KSSP) which focuses on post-16 learners in schools, colleges and work-based training. The amounts allocated nationally for schools and colleges since the start of the KSSP are set out in the following table.
| Financial year | Allocation (£) |
|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | 4,000,000 |
| 2000–01 | 4,000,000 |
| 2001–02 | 4,000,000 |
| 2002–03 | 4,000,000 |
| 2003–04 | 4,000,000 |
| 2004–05 | 3,115,000 |
| 2005–06 | 3,525,000 |
The KSSP is a national programme and the above figures represent the total allocations across England for both secondary schools and colleges. More detailed breakdowns, whether by region or by type of institution, are not available.
Key Stage 3
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made on the pilot project to look at the impact of completing Key Stage 3 in two years; and if she will make a statement. [53513]
Jacqui Smith:
The Two Year Key Stage 3 Project is ongoing. The project supports schools to provide more personalised pathways through the 14–19 curriculum for different groups of pupils.
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Phase I schools started to implement a condensed curriculum for years seven and eight in September 2003 and Phase 2 schools began exploring innovative and alternative curriculum models for either low-attaining or gifted and talented pupils in September 2004.
The impact of the project is being assessed through Ofsted evaluation and by an independent study being carried out by LSE/NFER.
Preliminary findings suggest that almost all of the schools have responded imaginatively to the project and tackled the challenge in a variety of ways; and has stressed the importance of schools carefully matching their curriculum to the particular circumstances and needs of their pupils.
LEA Administration/Finance
Mr. Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total expenditure on local education authority administration was in 2004–05; and what the budgeted expenditure is for local education authorities in (a) 2005–06 and (b) 2006–07. [52043]
Jacqui Smith: For 2004–05 local authorities reported £561 million (net current expenditure) on central administration on their Section 52 Outturn Statements. On their 2005–06 Section 52 Budget Statements local authorities reported £446 million (net expenditure) on statutory/regulatory duties. These figures are not directly comparable as the Departments reporting requirements for both returns are different.
Data relating to 2006–07 are not due to be collected until April 2006.
Central administration as reported on section 52 outturn and statutory/regulatory duties as reported on section 52 budget both cover the overall management of the authority's responsibility in relation to education.
Ms Diana R. Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the impact on funding would be for a local education authority that did not complete its public consultation on Building Schools for the Future. [50631]
Jacqui Smith [holding answer 13 February 2006]: We expect all local education authorities to consult fully on their Building Schools for the Future (BSF) re-organisation plans, following the relevant statutory regulations on issues such as school organisation, before a business case for funding can be approved by the Department for Education and Skills.
If a local authority fails to complete its public consultation, departmental approvals, and therefore the allocation of funds, may be delayed until the necessary consultation processes have been completed.
In the case of Hull, once the local authority have completed the consultation process, this project should be able to move forward more quickly than it has to date. They currently aim to submit a first business case in April/May, which should enable the first BSF schools in the area to be opened in September 2009.
27 Feb 2006 : Column 550W
League Tables
John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the effect of school league tables on the year six curriculum. [52503]
Jacqui Smith: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not commissioned such an assessment. Pupils take National Curriculum tests in Year 6 to assess how well they have mastered the Key Stage 2 curriculum in English, mathematics and science—subjects of crucial importance to their success at secondary school. The fact that the test results will, in due course, be published should have no direct effect on the Year 6 curriculum, in these or other subjects. Evidence from Ofsted shows that good test results are associated with a broad curriculum and engaging teaching.
Learning and Skills Council
Mr. Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the impact of the reduction in Learning and Skills Council funding to Leicestershire upon community centres and adult learning in Leicestershire. [25129]
Bill Rammell: On the 21 October, I made an announcement, setting out the Government's strategic direction for the learning and skills sector for 2006/7 and 2007/8. My main purpose for doing so was to ensure the 2006/07 funding allocations process began with a clear and concise message on the principles that will underpin funding over the next two years. In addition, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) published Priorities for Success"—a document that sets out the funding strategy for the next two years in more detail. This document is available on the LSC's website.
Although more public funding will be going into the sector, we will focus funding even more strongly on key priorities of raising participation and achievement 14–19 and driving down the skills deficit in the adult workforce. I reaffirmed our commitment to safeguard the funding for personal and community development learning in mainstream further education and local authority funded adult education (adult and community learning) with a budget of £210 million in 2006/7.
The funding available for adult learning for this year and for 2006–08 is sufficient to broadly maintain the total amount of publicly funded adult learning, taking into account the duration of courses. We do expect the re-prioritisation of resources to move to longer and more expensive courses which will lead to a net loss of adult places. The Learning and Skills Council plans to publish information about the initial take-up of learning in England for 2005/06, through a statistical first release in March 2006. My Department does not hold figures for adult learner numbers at local level. The LSC published information in its annual report and accounts for 2004–05 of the numbers of learners gaining skills for life target qualifications for the years 2001–04 for Leicestershire and the total number of adults receiving LSC funded learning in East Midlands in 2004/05. The report is available on the LSC website.
27 Feb 2006 : Column 551W
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the impact on adult learning in (a) North Yorkshire and (b) England of the changes in funding for the Learning and Skills Council for adult learning since 2004–05. [51571]
Bill Rammell: On 21 October, I made an announcement, setting out the Government's strategic direction for the learning and skills sector for 2006/07 and 2007/08. My main purpose for doing so was to ensure the 2006/07 funding allocations process began with a clear and concise message on the principles that will underpin funding over the next two years. In addition, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) published Priorities for Success"—a document that sets out the funding strategy for the next two years in more detail. This document is available on the LSC's website. These clear messages develop priorities outlined in my Department's grant letters to the LSC for 2004–05 and 2005–06.
Although more public funding will be going into the sector, we will focus funding even more strongly on key priorities of raising participation and achievement 14–19 and driving down the skills deficit in the adult workforce. I reaffirmed our commitment to safeguard the funding for personal and community development learning in mainstream further education and local authority funded adult education (adult and community learning) with a budget of £210 million in 2006/07.
In 2004/05 the number of adult learners remained broadly unchanged compared to the previous year. We expect the Learning and Skills Council to publish information about the initial take-up of learning in England for 2005/06, through a statistical first release in March 2006. My Department does not hold figures for adult learner numbers at local level. The LSC published information in its annual report and accounts for 2004–05 of the numbers of learners gaining skills for life target qualifications for the years 2001 to 2004 for North Yorkshire and the total number of adults receiving LSC funded learning in Yorkshire and Humberside during 2004/05. The report is available on the LSC website.
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