House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 15 Mar 2006 (pt 30)

15 Mar 2006 : Column 2358W—continued

Media Coverage

Mr. Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what analysis of national media coverage of education issues has been commissioned by her Department in the past 12 months. [56884]

Bill Rammell [holding answer 7 March 2006]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 27 February 2006, Official Report, column 558W.

Prison Education

Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she expects the Learning and Skills Council to announce the award of contracts for the provision of education in prisons; what factors have affected the timing of the announcement; and if she will make a statement. [57758]

Phil Hope: The Learning and Skills Council remains on track to confirm the successful tenderers by 31 March as planned. The main factor affecting this timetable is the post-tender negotiation which started on 16 January, to a timetable published on the Learning and Skills Council's website. Once negotiations are successfully concluded, announcements about contract awards can be made.

School Admissions Code

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether under the Education and Inspection Bill secondary schools will be able to seek reports from primary schools on (a) a child's (i) conduct, (ii) motivation and (iii) attendance and (b) on parents' attitude. [57292]

Jacqui Smith: Under the Education (Pupil Information) (England) Regulations 2005, when a pupil transfers to a new school, the old" school must send the pupil's educational record and common transfer file to the new school, within 15 school days. The regulations set out the minimum requirements for information which schools must include in the pupil's educational record and common transfer file. This, and any additional information held by the school, including information on pupil behaviour and attendance, must be transferred to the pupil's new school as part of the educational record. We have no plans to change or expand these requirements under the Education and Inspection Bill.

Provision in the Bill will also strengthen the School Admissions Code by requiring admission authorities to 'act in accordance' with it. In future the Code will

15 Mar 2006 : Column 2359W

prevent secondary schools from making offers of places dependent on reports from the child's primary school.

School Food

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the cost of implementing the standards of the School Food Trust for food other than lunch in schools. [58621]

Jacqui Smith: The School Food Trust has provided advice to Ministers on standards that should apply to food and drink provided at times other than lunch. We are now seeking views on that advice from a limited number of key stakeholders in education, health and the food industry.

We will develop a full RIA at the point that we seek cross Government clearance on the Department's proposals for new 'other' food and drink standards.

Schools (Brighton and Hove)

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much capital funding was allocated to schools in Brighton and Hove in each year since 1996–97. [58670]

15 Mar 2006 : Column 2360W

Jacqui Smith: Details of capital allocations made to local authorities are held only from 1997–98 onwards. Capital Funding to Brighton and Hove local authority and its schools since 1997–98 are set out in the following table:

£ million

1997–98 3.9

1998–99 4.5

1999–2000 6.1

2000–01 8.2

2001–02 29.2

2002–03 6.9

2003–04 7.3

2004–05 13.4

2005–06 5.5

Note:
The 2001–02 figure includes £24.5 million for a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) project. The 2004–05 figure includes one off funds for two Targeted Capital Fund projects totalling £6.7 million.

	£ million
1997–98	3.9
1998–99	4.5
1999–2000	6.1
2000–01	8.2
2001–02	29.2
2002–03	6.9
2003–04	7.3
2004–05	13.4
2005–06	5.5

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children were in classes of 31 or more in (a) infant schools and (b) infant classes in primary schools in Brighton and Hove in each year since 1996–97. [58671]

Jacqui Smith: The requested information is given in the table.
Maintained primary schools ⁽⁴⁴⁾: Number and percentage of key stage 1 classes with 31 or more pupilsPosition in January each year: 1997 to 2005 Brighton and Hove local authority area

Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher ⁽⁴⁵⁾

Infant Schools
All other primary schools
Total primary schools

Number of pupils:
Number of pupils:
Number of pupils:

in classes of 31 or more pupils in all classes Percentage of pupils in classes of 31 or more pupils ⁽⁴⁶⁾ in classes of 31 or more pupils in all classes Percentage of pupils in classes of 31 or more pupils ⁽⁴⁶⁾ in classes of 31 or more pupils in all classes Percentage of pupils in classes of 31 or more pupils ⁽⁴⁶⁾

1997 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a

1998 1,614 3,456 46.7 1,808 3,624 49.9 3,422 7,080 48.3

1999 1,145 3,300 34.7 1,666 3,688 45.2 2,811 6,988 40.2

2000 669 2,342 28.6 1,593 4,367 36.5 2,262 6,709 33.7

2001 124 2,561 4.8 284 3,956 7.2 408 6,517 6.3

2002 0 2,259 0.0 0 4,173 0.0 0 6,432 0.0

2003 ⁽⁴⁷⁾ 0 2,234 0.0 32 4,119 0.8 32 6,353 0.5

2004 ⁽⁴⁷⁾ 0 2,407 0.0 31 4,388 0.7 31 6,795 0.5

2005 ⁽⁴⁷⁾ 0 2,396 0.0 31 4,228 0.7 31 6,624 0.5

n/a=not applicable
⁽⁴⁴⁾ Includes middle schools as deemed.
⁽⁴⁵⁾ Classes as taught during a single selected period on the day of the census in January.
⁽⁴⁶⁾ The number of pupils in classes of 31 or more expressed as a percentage of the total number of pupils in classes.
⁽⁴⁷⁾ Includes reception classes.
Source:
Annual Schools Census

	Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher ⁽⁴⁵⁾
	Infant Schools	All other primary schools	Total primary schools
	Number of pupils:		Number of pupils:		Number of pupils:
	in classes of 31 or more pupils	in all classes	Percentage of pupils in classes of 31 or more pupils ⁽⁴⁶⁾	in classes of 31 or more pupils	in all classes	Percentage of pupils in classes of 31 or more pupils ⁽⁴⁶⁾	in classes of 31 or more pupils	in all classes	Percentage of pupils in classes of 31 or more pupils ⁽⁴⁶⁾
1997	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
1998	1,614	3,456	46.7	1,808	3,624	49.9	3,422	7,080	48.3
1999	1,145	3,300	34.7	1,666	3,688	45.2	2,811	6,988	40.2
2000	669	2,342	28.6	1,593	4,367	36.5	2,262	6,709	33.7
2001	124	2,561	4.8	284	3,956	7.2	408	6,517	6.3
2002	0	2,259	0.0	0	4,173	0.0	0	6,432	0.0
2003 ⁽⁴⁷⁾	0	2,234	0.0	32	4,119	0.8	32	6,353	0.5
2004 ⁽⁴⁷⁾	0	2,407	0.0	31	4,388	0.7	31	6,795	0.5
2005 ⁽⁴⁷⁾	0	2,396	0.0	31	4,228	0.7	31	6,624	0.5

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the budget was for the Brighton and Hove local education authority in each year since 1996–97. [58673]

Jacqui Smith: The available information is contained within the following table. Similar data are not available before 1999–2000.
Total budgeted education revenue expenditure⁽⁴⁸⁾ by Brighton and Hove local authority since 1999–2000⁽⁴⁹⁾

Budgeted education revenue expenditure⁽⁴⁸⁾ (£)

1999–2000⁽⁴⁹⁾ 83,170,000

2000–01 91,486,000

2001–02 101,475,000

2002–03 106,440,000

2003–04 114,093,000

2004–05 123,235,000

2005–06 134,422,000

⁽⁴⁸⁾ Budgeted education revenue expenditure is drawn from local authorities' Section 52 Budget Statements submitted to the DfES. This is calculated as the gross elements of any grants lines plus the net elements of the remainder of the education revenue budget. Section 52 was introduced for the 1999–2000 financial year and consequently figures are not available prior to 1999–2000.
⁽⁴⁹⁾ 1999–2000 figures exclude any budgeted capital expenditure from revenue (CERA).
Note:
Cash figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 as reported by Brighton and Hove local authority as at 13 March 2006.

15 Mar 2006 : Column 2361W

	Budgeted education revenue expenditure⁽⁴⁸⁾ (£)
1999–2000⁽⁴⁹⁾	83,170,000
2000–01	91,486,000
2001–02	101,475,000
2002–03	106,440,000
2003–04	114,093,000
2004–05	123,235,000
2005–06	134,422,000

Special Educational Needs

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what requirements there are for special educational needs co-ordinators to undergo training in (a) special education needs and (b) autism; [58147]

(2) whether she plans to introduce minimum standards for training for special education needs co-ordinators. [58155]

Maria Eagle: School-based Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOs) are selected and appointed by head teachers. There is no specific SENCO qualification they would be expected to have, although we would normally expect a head to appoint someone with a proven track record of successful working with children with SEN and disabilities. Training arrangements for SENCOs would be for local determination, having regard to the knowledge, skills and experience of the person concerned, and the range and complexity of SEN represented within the school.

The Department's SEN Code of Practice, published in November 2001, contains guidance on the role and responsibilities of SENCOs. The Teacher Training Agency, now the Training and Development Agency for Schools, also published a set of National Standards for SENCOs in 1998.

In collaboration with the National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN), the Department recently convened a series of discussion sessions for primary and secondary SENCOs, designed to identify aspects of good practice in relation to the SENCO role. The results of this work are being disseminated through NASEN publications and otherwise.

With regard to autism, in 2002 we issued, in partnership with the Department of Health, Autistic Spectrum Disorder Good Practice Guidance. This offered a series of pointers to good practice aimed at schools and SENCOs.

Mrs. Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children were educated in special schools in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement. [58347]

Jacqui Smith: The requested information is given in the table.
Special schools: Number (headcount) and percentage of pupils⁽⁵⁰⁾—position in January each year: 1997 to 2005—England

Maintained special
Non-maintained special

Number⁽⁵⁰⁾ Percentage⁽⁵¹⁾ Number⁽⁵⁰⁾ Percentage⁽⁵¹⁾

1997 93,020 1.1 5,230 0.1

1998 93,470 1.1 4,960 0.1

1999 93,090 1.1 4,610 0.1

2000 91,800 1.1 4,770 0.1

2001 91,000 1.1 4,600 0.1

2002 89,800 1.1 4,670 0.1

2003 88,930 1.1 4,950 0.1

2004 86,930 1.0 4,840 0.1

2005 85,500 1.0 4,870 0.1

⁽⁵⁰⁾ Excludes dually registered pupils.
⁽⁵¹⁾ Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.
Note:
The number of pupils in special schools expressed as a percentage of the total number of pupils across all schools.
Source:
Annual Schools Census

15 Mar 2006 : Column 2362W

	Maintained special	Non-maintained special
	Number⁽⁵⁰⁾	Percentage⁽⁵¹⁾	Number⁽⁵⁰⁾	Percentage⁽⁵¹⁾
1997	93,020	1.1	5,230	0.1
1998	93,470	1.1	4,960	0.1
1999	93,090	1.1	4,610	0.1
2000	91,800	1.1	4,770	0.1
2001	91,000	1.1	4,600	0.1
2002	89,800	1.1	4,670	0.1
2003	88,930	1.1	4,950	0.1
2004	86,930	1.0	4,840	0.1
2005	85,500	1.0	4,870	0.1

Local authorities have a duty to secure sufficient schools for children in their area and in doing so must have particular regard to the need for special educational provision. The Government set expectations as to the quality of this provision, as does Ofsted. But how these expectations are met is a matter for local decision, and for this reason, Government play no role in relation to LA school reorganisations or in respect of decisions to close schools.

Mr. Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many education supervision orders have been carried out for children with a special educational need in England in each of the past five years. [58946]

Jacqui Smith: The Department does not collect data on the number of Education Supervision Orders that are made.

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