| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
7 Feb 2007 : Column 992W—continued
Road Safety
Mr. Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make road safety a mandatory part of the national curriculum. [118871]
Jim Knight: Currently, there are no plans to make road safety a mandatory part of the national curriculum. Education about safety, including road safety, is already included in the curriculum through the non-statutory framework of Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE). In addition, DfES issued ‘Safety Education: Guidance for Schools’ in 2001. This references highways as a context for safety education although it is for schools to decide on the content of their safety education programme.
The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has been undertaking a review of the secondary National Curriculum, including PSHE. The draft programmes
of study will be subject to a public consultation from 5 February and views on the statutory basis of road safety education can be expressed as part of this consultation.
School Libraries
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2007, Official Report, column 1655W, on school libraries, what his estimate is of the (a) number and (b) proportion of schools that have libraries. [117681]
Jim Knight: The Department does not collect data on numbers of schools with a library.
School Sponsorship
Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received from sponsors of charter schools in America about sponsoring (a) academies and (b) trust schools in England. [111846]
Jim Knight: Officials in the Department for Education and Skills had preliminary discussions with an organisation that sponsors charter schools, on a number of occasions back in 2005. It was keen to sponsor several academies in England but has since decided to withdraw from the proposal.
Officials in the Department for Education and Skills had an exploratory discussion around trust schools policy with an organisation that sponsors charter schools in September 2006. A follow-up meeting is planned in February.
Schools: Construction
Mr. Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of bidding costs for projects under Building Schools for the Future. [118110]
Jim Knight: Current indications from the market show that it costs around £1.5 million to reach the point where the preferred partner is selected. Private sector costs are not shared with us. The figure cited reflects the discussions we have with Consortia as part of our ongoing engagement with the market.
Schools: Coventry
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his plans are for future capital expenditure on schools in Coventry; and if he will make a statement. [119000]
Jim Knight: It is planned to allocate Coventry schools £12.8 million in 2007-08. Allocations for the spending review period commencing 1 April 2008 will be announced later this year.
Schools: Greater London
Mr. Dismore:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the schools
designated as (a) sports hubs and (b) specialist sports colleges in each London local authority. [118432]
Jim Knight: The following tables show the names of (a) sports hubs and (b) specialist sports colleges in each London local authority.
| Table (a): Sports hubs | ||
| School sport partnership name | Host site | Local authority |
| Table (b): Specialist sports colleges | |
| School name | LA name |
| (1) School has sports as a second specialism | |
Schools: Hendon
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether any schools in Hendon were (a) put into and (b) taken out of special measures in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [118443]
Jim Knight: No schools in Hendon have been placed in or removed from special measures in the last 12 months.
We expect local authorities to take early action to prevent school failure, and prompt and decisive action to tackle it where it occurs. Our ambition is for every school to be a good school providing high-quality education.
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many (a) school support staff, (b) teachers and (c) teaching assistants there are in Hendon schools; how many there were in 1997; and if he will make a statement. [118487]
Jim Knight: The following table provides the full-time equivalent number of teaching assistants, support staff, and teachers employed in maintained nursery, primary, secondary, special schools and pupil referral units in Hendon constituency, January 1997 and 2006.
| Full-time equivalent teaching assistants, support staff( 1) and teachers in maintained nursery, primary, secondary, special schools and pupil referral units in Hendon constituency: January 1997 and 2006 | ||
| 1997 | 2006 | |
| (1) Includes teaching assistants, special needs support staff, minority ethnic pupil support staff, secretaries, bursars, other admin/clerical staff, technicians, matrons/nurses/medical staff, child care staff and other education support staff. Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Source: Annual School Census (ASC) | ||
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |