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School Admissions Code

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the reference to the code for school admissions in Clause 37 of the Education and Inspections Bill refers to the version of the code contained in the draft School Admissions Code of Practice 2005. [57178]

Jacqui Smith: Clause 37 does not refer to the draft Code of Practice that was circulated for consultation in July 2005. We decided not to lay this code, as I announced on 13 December.

This clause amends current legislation to ensure that in future the code will have greater force. Admission authorities will have to act in accordance" with the new code rather than have regard" to its provisions. As a result of this, and to reflect other changes in the Bill, a revised School Admissions Code will be drafted and consulted on, before being laid before Parliament.
 
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School Leavers (Qualifications)

Mr. Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people left school at 16 years of age in (a) the constituency of Ruislip-Northwood, (b) Hillingdon local education authority, (c) Greater London and (d) England with less than the equivalent of five GCSE A-C grades in each year since 1997. [43454]

Jacqui Smith: The information requested on the number of pupils ¹ leaving school with less than five A*-C at GCSE and Equivalents ² is found as follows:

¹ Number of pupils aged 15 at the start of the academic year.

² GCSE/GNVQs are included from 1998 to 2003 and GCSEs and equivalents approved for pre-16 use from 2004. Results include achievements of pupils in previous years.
Pupils not achieving 5+ A*-C at GCSE and equivalent Number

	Ruislip-Northwood(20)	Hillingdon(20)	Greater London(20)	England(21)
1998	379	1,383	37,944	308,779
1999	372	1,409	37,320	302,412
2000	326	1,304	36,032	294,657
2001	365	1,393	36,926	301,701
2002	369	1,408	35,533	293,815
2003	350	1,400	34,920	292,740
2004	335	1,529	34,533	297,767
2005	341	1,451	32,687	278,383

Pupils not achieving 5+ A*-C at GCSE and equivalent Percentage

	Ruislip-Northwood(20)	Hillingdon(20)	Greater London(20)	England(21)
1998	46.6	56.0	57.9	53.7
1999	45.8	55.9	56.4	52.1
2000	40.6	52.1	54.5	50.8
2001	43.9	52.9	53.9	50.0
2002	43.7	54.0	51.5	48.4
2003	40.8	52.4	49.3	47.1
2004	37.9	52.1	47.0	46.3
2005	38.9	49.5	44.8	43.7

⁽²⁰⁾ Based on maintained sector schools only, this includes city technology colleges and academies but excludes hospital schools and pupil referral units.
⁽²¹⁾ Includes all schools.

School of Economic Science

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment she has made of the influence of the School of Economic Science
 
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within (a) St. James' independent schools in London and (b) The Alcuin School in Leeds; and if she will make a statement. [57139]

Jacqui Smith: We respect the right of parents to choose an independent school for their child, and recognise that they may want an education for their child which reflects their own religious or philosophical beliefs. All independent schools must be registered by my Department. In order to become and continue to be registered, they must reach and maintain a satisfactory standard in respect of the quality of education provided; the spiritual, moral, social and cultural developments of pupils; the welfare, health and safety of pupils; the premises and accommodation at the school; and the suitability of the proprietor and staff within the school.

We understand that the St. James' independent schools and Alcuin school both follow a curriculum and spiritual programme in line with the aims and beliefs of the Schools of Economic Science, and this is recognised in the most recent published inspection reports which can be found at: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/index.cfm?fuseaction=listColleges&type=independent www.isinspect.org.uk/frreports.htm

All these schools meet the regulatory requirements for continued registration as an independent school.

Schools (Railway Lines)

Mr. Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of schools are located within a (a) one mile, (b) two mile and (c) three mile railway line corridor. [56626]

Jacqui Smith [holding answer 8 March 2006]: The Department does not hold the information required to answer this question and could source and produce the information only at disproportionate cost.

Secondary School Places (London)

Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will publish the report of the London Secondary Schools Places Planning Project; and if she will make a statement. [54667]

Jacqui Smith: We are intending to publish the report on Secondary School Places Planning in London shortly.

Sex Offenders

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many teachers on the sex offenders list are working in (a) Kent and (b) the borough of Tunbridge Wells. [46122]

Ruth Kelly: My Department does not hold this information.

Mr. Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 13 February 2006, Official Report, column 1572W, on sex offenders, how many names were transferred to the Protection of Children Act list from the Consultancy Services Index at its inception. [54253]

Maria Eagle: 898 names were transferred to the Protection of Children Act List at its inception.
 
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Skills Passport

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the Skills Passport scheme. [56429]

Phil Hope: Government commitment to develop and promote Skills Passports were announced in the 2004 pre-Budget report, Skills in the Global Economy" and the 2005 Skills White Paper, Skills: Getting on in business, getting on at work". We are taking these commitments forward in two ways:

by working with the Sector Skills Development Agency, Sector Skills Councils, the Small Business Council and others, to develop Skills Passports that meet the needs of employers to recruit and develop people with the skills they require; and

by testing out a Skills Passport in the Skills Coaching trials, to help benefit recipients improve their employability by identifying, developing and recording their skills and qualifications. Skills Passports form part of New Deal for Skills which is aimed at improving the skills of those people with lower level skills to help them secure sustainable employment, and improving the skills of employees to help them progress into higher skilled occupations.

Social Care Staff

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 8 November 2005, Official Report, column 463W, on social care staff, what arrangements have been made to collect information about the numbers of staff working for private and voluntary sector organisations. [34736]

Beverley Hughes: Skills for Care, as one of the two Sector Skills Council bodies for Social pare in England, is leading the development of work force intelligence across all areas of social care. This involves the development of a National Minimum Dataset for Social Care (NMDs-SC)—a set of questions about work force which aims to cover the 26,000 employers in social care—including those forming the majority of provision in the private sector as well as voluntary sector providers. Over the next 24–36 months, following trialling of data collection methods, workforce statistics on private and voluntary sector provision across adults' and children's services should start appearing.

The Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC), the other Sector Skills Council body for social care in England, is currently in a transitional phase of gradually taking over responsibility for social care staff working with children. During this phase, the CWDC and the Department for Education and Skills will continue working with Skills for Care to ensure coverage of children's providers within the NMDs-SC.

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