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26 Mar 2007 : Column 1284W—continued
Ms Buck:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 1 February 2007, Official Report, column 487W, on English for Speakers of Other Languages, if he will
publish the data to which he refers from the Learning and Skills Council’s Individualised Learning Record disaggregated to the degree possible. [126484]
Phil Hope: The answer of 1 February referred to Learning and Skills Council (LSC) data which show the increase in demand for Skills for Life English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision.
LSC data show that between 2000/01 and 2004/05, enrolments onto basic skills learning aims increased as follows:
| Enrolments ( Thousand ) | |
| (1 )Based on data up to data October 2006, both confirmed and estimated. | |
These data are not normally published as part of the Statistical First Release on the DfES website.
The current ESOL cohort do not all have the same learning needs as the original target cohort for Skills for Life ESOL. In order to deliver learning appropriate to the needs of both the settled community and those who need English for work in the UK, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has been asked to develop new ESOL for Work qualifications.
Entry to Employment Programme: Gloucestershire
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much his Department provided to the E2E programme in Gloucestershire in 2006-07; what that figure represents per head of population; what the average figure per head of population is in England; and if he will make a statement. [129287]
Phil Hope [holding answer 22 March 2007]: The E2E budget in Gloucestershire for 2006/07 is £2,377,931. This is based on an estimate of 827 young people starting in learning during the year. E2E funding is based on a single national weekly rate per place, with additional payments for achievement of qualifications and for progression into employment, learning or training. Because E2E programmes are developed to meet individual needs there are different lengths of stay and different achievements and progression. Based on the current average length of stay in learning of 19 weeks, and progression and achievement rates around 50 per cent., the average level of funding for E2E learners in Gloucestershire is £2,875. Length of stay and achievement/progression rates in Gloucestershire are broadly in line with national figures, and as the funding rates are the same, the level of funding will also be broadly the same.
GCSE
Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students achieved five GCSEs at grade C or above including English and mathematics in each year since 1997. [127919]
Jim Knight [holding answer 19 March 2007]: The information requested is shown in the table.
| GCSE and equivalent attempts and achievements, 1996/97 to 2005/06( 1, 2) , England | ||
| Number of pupils( 3) | Percentage who achieved 5+ A*-C grades including English and Mathematics | |
| (1) Including attempts and achievement in previous academic years. (2) Figures for 2005/06 are revised from those published previously following checking with schools, all other figures are final. (3) Number of pupils on roll aged 15 at the start of the academic year or from 2004/05 end of Key Stage 4 figures or the number of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 in that academic year. (4) Percentages from 1996/97 include GCSEs and GNVQs. (5) Percentages from 2003/04 include GCSEs and other equivalent qualifications approved for use pre-16. | ||
Headteachers: Pay
Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the salary is of the head teacher in each academy. [127273]
Jim Knight: The Department does not hold information centrally on academy principals’ salaries.
Independent Schools
Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what formal consultation with stakeholders took place prior to the publication of the consultation document on the Definition of Full-Time Education in Independent Schools; in what form; and if he will make a statement. [111999]
Jim Knight: The consultation on the “Definition of Full Time Education in Independent Schools” has been undertaken in full adherence with the Cabinet Office’s Code of Practice on Consultations. All major stakeholders, identified prior to the consultation, were sent a copy of the consultation on the day it launched and invited to respond. The consultation is available on the Department’s website.
Information and Communications Technology: Employment
Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what areas in IT in the UK are expected to have skills shortages in (a) five and (b) 10 years time. [129673]
Phil Hope: The IT sector is expected to grow by more than 20 per cent. in the next 10 years, representing more than 200,000 new jobs. By 2014 more than 1 million workers will be employed in the IT sector.
One third of employers report skills gaps in their current specialist IT work force. Demand will continue to grow most in high level IT skills. New entrants to the work force will need significantly higher levels of business, project, interpersonal and technical skills. The need to improve IT user skills among the general working population will also continue to grow. Regional employment forecasts show that the regional concentration of the IT industry across the UK is not expected to shift significantly. The largest share of the IT industry will remain in the South East and London.
The Sector Skills Council for the IT sector, e-skills UK, published the Sector Skills Agreement of IT Action Plans for England, Scotland and Wales during 2005, setting out how the various partners in the education and skills system will work together with the sector to meet the sector’s future skills needs.
Languages: Education
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of teaching foreign languages to age (a) seven, (b) 10 and (c) 14-years-olds. [127597]
Jim Knight: The Department has commissioned two pieces of research into language teaching and learning at key stage 2 (7 to 11). The first is looking at the national implementation of primary languages and the other at the impact the teaching of languages has on attainment across the primary curriculum. The first headline findings will be published in July 2007. We have also developed a two year training programme to increase the quality and consistency of language teaching at key stage 3, and have commissioned a two year research project into the provision and practice of language learning at key stage 3. The Dearing Review of languages, published on 12 March, recommended improving teaching through a range of CPD. We are currently considering how to implement his recommendations.
Literacy: Curriculum
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what flexibility teachers have to offer remedial reading teaching within the mandatory elements of the national curriculum; and if he will make a statement. [127736]
Jim Knight: The national curriculum sets out which subjects must be taught at each key stage. The knowledge, skills and understanding, and the prescribed content which must be covered, are set out in statutory programmes of study for each subject.
The national curriculum does not completely fill the school timetable at any key stage and provides teachers with the flexibility to include remedial teaching where required. This flexibility enables schools to satisfy the
demands of the overarching curriculum inclusion statement which requires teachers to set suitable learning challenges for all pupils; to respond to diverse learning needs and to put in place strategies to overcome potential barriers to learning and assessment.
Literature: Curriculum
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills on what basis the authors in the list of pre-20(th) century texts for the revised key stage three programme of study proposed by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority were selected. [127329]
Jim Knight: The pre-20(th) century authors were selected as they have an enduring appeal that transcends the period in which they were written and have played a significant role in the development of literature in English. They continue to be read, studied and interpreted in print and on screen for contemporary audiences.
New Schools
Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many new schools were built under the direct management of (a) his Department and (b) local authorities in each of the past 30 years. [116929]
Jim Knight: The Department for Education and Skills does not directly procure or manage the building of new schools.
We do not collect information on new schools built by local authorities, in support of our policies of devolving decision-making to the local level and minimising bureaucratic burden. But we estimate that since 1997, 800 new schools have been built around the country.
However, we have information on the numbers of new schools (including replacement schools) built in recent years through the private finance initiative, and in the academies programme. This information is provided in the table below. We will collect this information systematically in Building Schools for the Future and the primary capital programme.
Number of new schools completed in each year:
| PFI | Academies | Total | |
Additionally, in the voluntary aided sector, the number of new schools built each year, listed by year of project approval is:
| Voluntary aided | |
| Note: These figures under-represent the number of new voluntary aided schools opened, as they do not include where a new school is open, but where all elements of construction are not yet completed. Nor do the figures include new voluntary aided schools approved in earlier years but completed in or after 2001-02, where the records are not readily accessible. | |
We have not searched for records on new schools going back to 1977 as this would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold.
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