| Previous Section | Index | Home Page |
2 May 2007 : Column 1753W—continued
Children in Care: Missing Persons
Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many looked after children who went missing from care were victims of a crime against the person while missing in each of the last five years; [122375]
(2) how many children who went missing from care in each of the last five years subsequently disclosed abuse as the reason for running away. [122376]
(1) the number of looked after children who went missing from care in each of the last five years who were victims of a crime against the person while missing; and
(2) the number of looked after children who went missing from care in each of the last five years who subsequently disclosed abuse as the reason for running away is not collected by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES).
City Academies
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total construction cost was of each completed academy. [133036]
Jim Knight: There are 26 academies open where construction work has been completed. The cost of each is detailed in the following table. These figures presented are as at March 2007 and are subject to change as final accounts have yet to be agreed.
Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what proportion of governors on the governing body of each academy are local authority governors. [133037]
Jim Knight: The composition of each academy governing body is described in its memorandum and articles. However, as the academy trust is able to co-opt additional members, the precise composition of each governing body at any point in time is not known by the Department, and we are unable to say how many local authority governors there are, or what proportion they represent of academy governing bodies.
While the size and precise composition of an academy governing body is not prescribed by the Department, like other state-funded schools, academies have stakeholder governors. Departmental policy is that each academy should have a local authority appointed governor and a parent governor. Academy governing bodies may also include the Academy principal (as an ex-officio member), a teacher governor (either elected or appointed); a staff governor (either elected or appointed), and may include community representatives.
Classroom Assistants: Pay and Manpower
Mr. Willetts:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how much was paid in salaries to (a) learning support assistants and (b) teaching assistants in (i) pupil referral units, (ii) special needs units attached to mainstream schools, (iii) resourced
provision, units and special classes in maintained mainstream schools and (iv) maintained special schools in each year between 1997 and 2007; [132388]
(2) how many teaching assistants were employed in (a) pupil referral units, (b) special needs units attached to mainstream schools, (c) resourced provision, units and special classes in maintained mainstream schools and (d) maintained special schools in each year between 1997 and 2007; [132389]
(3) how many learning support assistants there were in (a) pupil referral units, (b) special needs units attached to mainstream schools, (c) resourced provision, units and special classes in maintained mainstream schools and (d) maintained special schools in each of the years between 1997 and 2007. [132390]
Jim Knight: Information on the salaries paid to learning support assistants, teaching assistants and other school support staff is not collected centrally.
“The Deployment and Impact of Support Staff in Schools” is an ongoing research project commissioned by the Department. It started in 2004 and will run to 2009. One strand of the project is a survey conducted in 2004 with a sample of support staff. The sample was not representative but the results were weighted to
account for any bias in the sample. Amongst other things, the questionnaire asked about their pay. Support staff in special schools reported a mean hourly wage of £9.06. This compared with £7.90 and £9.55 for support staff in primary and secondary schools respectively. Teaching assistant equivalent staff across the maintained sector reported a mean hourly wage of £8.66. “Teaching Assistant Equivalent” includes teaching assistants, learning support assistants for SEN pupils, nursery nurses and therapists. The full wave one report can be found at: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR776.pdf and the next interim report is due during summer 2007.
Information on learning support assistants is collected within the overall number of teaching assistants but is not available as a separate category. Numbers of special needs support staff are however available separately. In addition numbers cannot be provided separately for units and classes within mainstream schools.
The following table provides the number of full-time equivalent teaching assistants employed in pupil referral units, maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools and maintained special schools in England from January 1997 to 2006 and is the latest information available. The number of those who are special needs support staff are also provided.
| Full-time equivalent teaching assistants( 1) employed in pupil referral units( 1) , maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools and maintained special schools in England, January 1997 to 2006 | ||||||
| Thousand | ||||||
| Pupil referral units | Maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools | Maintained special schools | ||||
| Teaching assistants | Of which: Special needs support staff( 1) | Teaching assistants | Of which: Special needs support staff | Teaching assistants | Of which: Special needs support staff( 1) | |
| (1 )Whilst the overall collection of support staff data for schools was successful, it is possible that some discontinuity in the time series data has resulted from underlying change in data collection. (2) When PLASC was introduced in 2002 data collection forms were standardised throughout all sectors. Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Source: Annual School Census | ||||||
Community Champions Fund
John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which organisations have received funding from the Community Champions Fund since its inception; what plans he has for the future budget of the Community Champions Fund in forthcoming financial years; and if he will make a statement. [133640]
Mr. Dhanda: Community Champions funding supports individuals rather than organisations. Individuals can apply for up to £2,000 to run innovative projects in their community. The total number of awards in 2005-06 was 1,769; the average award was £1,250. Funding is currently available until the end of March 2008.
The purpose of the comprehensive spending review settlement for this Department is to deliver key priorities for children, young people and learners over the period 2008-11. Decisions to be taken over the coming months will permit more detailed announcements to be made in due course about the allocation of resources, but it is unlikely that extension of the Community Champions Fund will be given priority over programmes that more directly impact on outcomes for children and young people.
| Next Section | Index | Home Page |