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20 Mar 2006 : Column 99W—continued
Information and Communication Technology
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if she will make a statement on the trial of the National Curriculum Online Test of Capability in Information and Communication Technology taken at the end of Key Stage 3; [59515]
(2) what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the National Curriculum Online Test of Capability in Information and Communication Technology can be taken by more than 50 pupils in a school in one session; [59516]
(3) what responses her Department received from schools involved in the trial of the National Curriculum Online Test of Capability in Information and Communication Technology. [59517]
Jacqui Smith:
We are committed to introducing a new statutory Key Stage 3 test in Information and Communication Technology in 2008, subject to a successful pilot. The test is being developed in recognition of the place of ICT as an essential skill for the 21st century and as an independent measure of the attainment target for ICT at the end of Key Stage 3.
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Pilots of the test took place in 2004 and 2005. There will be further pilots in May 2006 and in 2007. All secondary schools should be taking part in these pilots to ensure that they are fully prepared for the test in 2008.
The ground-breaking test design was recognised in the Computing Awards for Excellence 2005, where it was judged to be the Innovative Computing Project of the Year, and in the 2005 e-Government National Awards.
The test system does not put a limit on the number of pupils who may take the test at any one time, which will be a matter for schools to decide. As many schools will not have sufficient workstations for all their pupils to take the test at one time, the QCA proposes that schools should be able to arrange test sessions to take place at any time within a four-week window. To ensure the necessary high level of security, the test's software automatically generates different versions of each task and randomly allocates these to pupils.
The QCA gathered feedback from schools to inform their evaluation of the 2005 pilot and further development of the test. Schools' responses are summarised in the Report on the 2005 KS3ICT Test Pilot", which is available from the QCA's website www.qca.org.uk/7280.html. Feedback from participating schools was very positive and the new test was widely welcomed by teachers and pupils.
Learning and Study Skills
John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what materials she will provide to deprived parents to use at home to support their child's learning and study skills as referred to on page 67 of theWhite Paper 'Higher Standards, Better Schools forAll'. [53488]
Jacqui Smith: We are developing proposals on how best to engage all parents so that they are better able to support their child's learning. We will also consider how to support parents with additional needs, including deprived parents. We will ensure schools provide better information and support for parents on the progress of their child at school, including materials to use at home for those parents who have children that have fallen behind in English and mathematics.
Since 1997, we have sought to enhance parental involvement in children's learning through a range of measures targeted at parents and schools. These include information for parents such as videos, DVDs, the Learning Journey guides, the Parents Centre website, and funding for helplines offering advice on educational issues; and materials for schools such as the Involving Parents, Raising Achievement toolkit, and others disseminated through the Primary and Key Stage 3 National Strategies.
Level 2 Qualifications
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made towards increasing by three percentage points the proportion of 19 year olds who achieve at least level 2 by 2006. [59268]
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Jacqui Smith: We are making excellent progress towards our PSA target. Figures released in February 2006 show a 3 percentage point increase between 2004 and 2005 in the attainment of young people at level 2 (5GCSE A*–C or equivalent) by the age of 19. The target we are aiming for is 69.8 per cent. in 2006, 68.4 per cent. of the youngsters who will be 19 in 2006 are already at level 2 or above in 2005.
Lifelong Learning/Higher Education Directorates
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the pay levels of senior non-civil servant staff attached to the (a) Lifelong Learning Directorate and (b) Higher Education Directorate are; and if she will make a statement. [43073]
Maria Eagle: The following provides information on the pay levels of senior non-civil servant staff attached to the Lifelong Learning and Skills and Higher Education Directorates on significant attachments, full or part time, lasting for more than three months.
In Lifelong Learning and Skills Directorate there are currently six senior consultants attached to Directorate on a part-time basis (usually no more than a few days a month) at an average daily rate of £1,129. In addition there 25 individuals working part time or full time in the Directorate who are on secondment from other organisations in the education and training sector. Three of the secondees are not paid by the Department and we therefore hold no salary information on them. The salaries of other secondees range from £11,064 to £99,636 per annum.
In Higher Education Directorate there are currently five senior consultants attached to Directorate on a part-time basis (again usually no more than a few days a month) at an average daily rate of £1,164.
Senior consultants or secondees are engaged by the Department where individuals with a particular knowledge and expertise are required and where that knowledge and expertise are not available within the Department.
Mature Students
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which 10 higher education institutions have the (a) largest and (b) smallest percentage of mature students. [39906]
Bill Rammell: The latest available information for English Higher Education Institutions is shown in the tables.
(29)'Mature' enrolments are those aged 21 years or over on undergraduate courses or 25 years or over on postgraduate courses.
Note:
Figures are on a HESA standard registration population basis and are rounded to the nearest 5.
Source:
Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record
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(30)'Mature' enrolments are those aged 21 years or over on undergraduate courses or 25 years or over on postgraduate courses.
Note:
Figures are on a HESA standard registration population basis and are rounded to the nearest 5.
Source:
Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record
Obesity
Mr. Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what progress has been made towards reducing the rise in obesity among children under 11 years by 2010. [58023]
Jacqui Smith: The public service agreement to halt the year-on-year rise in obesity among children under 11 by 2010 in the context of a broader strategy to tackle obesity in the population as a whole is the joint responsibility of the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, the Secretary of State for Health, and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Joint cross-departmental programme management arrangements have been established to drive action to meet this target. Progress will be measured through the Health Survey for England. The baseline will be established for the years 2002–04: the data, from the 2004 Health Survey to support this will be available shortly. We shall assess progress when the 2005 Health Survey data is available.
The Government's obesity strategy addresses the issue through a wide range of programmes.
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We are taking action to encourage children, parents, and parents to be to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle through:
measures to improve the wellbeing and emotional health of children and to develop their social and emotional skills, and
We are taking action to support healthy eating through:
work with the food and advertising industries, Ofcom and the Advertising Standards Authority on restricting further the advertising and food promotion to children of foods high in fat, salt and sugar.
We are making significant progress in encouraging children and adults to increase their levels of exercise through:
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