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15 Oct 2007 : Column 878W—continued

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) how many and what proportion of people aged (a) 16, (b) 17 and (c) 18 were in (i) education, (ii) training, (iii) employment and (iv) none of the above in each year since 1995; [157821]

(2) how many and what proportion of 15-year-old secondary school leavers left school for (a) employment, (b) further education, (c) employer-funded training, (d) work based learning, (e) other education and training and (f) inactivity in each year since 1997. [157822]

Jim Knight: The figures provided in this answer are for individuals at academic age 16, 17 and 18(1). Participation is broken down by: full-time education; work based learning (WBL); employer funded training (EFT); other education and training (OET); not in any education or training—in employment; not in any
15 Oct 2007 : Column 879W
education, employment or training (NEET). There will also be those that are in a category, e.g. full-time education, and also in employment.

Information on destinations of school leavers does not exist in this form. The tables for 16-year-old participation show the activities of all young people in the year following the end of compulsory schooling.

These figures are available in the Statistical First Release published by the Department in SFR 22/2007, please see the following web link:

Definitions

WBL for young people comprises advanced apprenticeships, apprenticeships, entry to employment (E2E) and NVQ learning.

EFT covers employees who have received training in the past four weeks; these figures are restricted to training other than WBL. It will include non-WBL apprentices and others on long and short term training programmes, but exclude those who have previously received training in their current job, though not in the last four weeks. It covers only young people who are in employment.

OET covers young people who are studying but are not included in other categories. For example: those attending independent colleges or training centres; at any college in part-time study not reported as released from a job; or receiving training in part-time education but not currently employed.

Further Education: Finance

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the annual cost of bringing per capita funding of pupils aged 16 to 18 years old in further education colleges in line with funding levels in secondary schools. [154337]

Jim Knight: Following a consultation earlier this year the Learning and Skills Council will introduce, from 2008/09, a new, common funding methodology for all 16 to 18-year-old learners. This will ensure that comparable funding is offered for comparable activity, irrespective of the type of institution providing the education and training to the learner.

Per capita funding for pupils aged 16 to 18 years old is at a broadly comparable level in school sixth forms and further education colleges. In 2005-06 per capita funding for full time equivalent 16, 17 and 18-year-old learners in further education colleges was £5,000. In 2006-07 we estimate this will rise to £5,100 but this will not be confirmed until final student numbers are available later in the year.

For 16, 17 and 18-year-olds in school sixth forms the level of funding per pupil was £4,900 in 2005-06, this rose to £5,200 in 2006-07.

Funding figures for school sixth forms and colleges are not directly comparable as a range of factors affects them including the mix of provision offered, achievement and retention levels and the location in which the provider is based. It is also impossible to get an entirely accurate full-time equivalent learner figure
15 Oct 2007 : Column 880W
for college students whereas for schools, as almost all pupils study full-time in sixth forms, the pupil count is precise.

General Certificate of Secondary Education

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of GCSE students achieved (a) five GCSEs at A-C and (b) English and mathematics GCSEs at A-C since 1995-96; and if he will make a statement. [154711]

Jim Knight: The information requested is given in the following table:

Percentage of 15-year-old pupils achieving (a) 5 or more GCSE at grades A*-C and (b) English and Mathematics GCSE at grades A*-C since 1996
Percentage of 15-year-olds( 1) obtaining 5 or more GCSEs at A*-C Percentage of 15-year-olds( 1) obtaining an A*-C at both English and Maths GCSE

1996

45

35

1997

46

37

1998

48

38

1999

49

40

2000

50

41

2001

52

42

2002

53

43

2003

54

43

2004(2)

54

44

2005

56

46

2006

59

47

(1) Aged 15 at the beginning of the academic year, i.e. 31 August.
(2) Percentages from 2004 onwards include GCSEs and equivalents.

Standards in secondary schools have risen dramatically since 1996. Record numbers of pupils are now achieving five good GCSEs.

Over 91,000 more pupils achieved five good GCSEs last year compared with 1996 and 78,000 more achieved five good GCSEs including English and maths compared with 1996.

This is as a result of a number of factors, including: challenge and support through the secondary National Strategy; swift and targeted intervention to tackle school failure; more effective use of data by schools and local authorities, helping to track and monitor the progress of pupils; and a system within which schools and local authorities are setting ambitious targets for their pupils.

The new secondary curriculum, to be introduced from 2008, will raise standards further still. Less prescription will allow for more time in the school day to concentrate on English and maths, particularly where pupils are struggling with literacy and numeracy. It will also allow schools to personalise learning in order to make teaching more engaging.

General Certificate of Secondary Education: Gender

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of (a) girls and (b) boys gained five GCSEs at grade A to C in each year since 1987-88; and if he will make a statement. [154601]


15 Oct 2007 : Column 881W

Jim Knight: The information requested is given as follows:

Percentage of 15-year-old( 1) girls and boys gaining five GCSEs at grades A*- C at GCSE since 1988
Percentage achieving 5 or more grades A*-C( 2)
Boys Girls Total

1988

29.8

35.8

32.8

1989

30.8

38.4

34.5

1990

33.3

40.3

36.8

1991

34.1

42.7

38.3

1992

36.8

45.8

41.2

1993

39.1

47.8

43.3

1994

39.0

48.1

43.5

1995

39.9

49.4

44.5

1996

40.5

50.0

45.1

1997

41.3

51.5

46.3

1998

42.8

53.4

47.9

1999

44.0

54.6

49.2

2000

44.8

55.4

50.0

2001

46.4

57.0

51.6

2002

47.9

58.2

52.9

2003

48.7

58.8

53.7

2004

48.8

58.8

53.7

2005

51.4

61.4

56.3

2006

53.8

63.4

58.5

(1 )Aged 15 on the 31 August.
(2 )Percentages from 2004 onwards include GCSEs and equivalents.

A statement regarding the differences in educational attainment between boys and girls was provided in the reply to question 149080.

Primary Education: Buildings

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many primary schools in each local education authority area primarily occupy buildings built before 1930. [156634]

Jim Knight: It is not possible, on the basis of data received from local education authorities on the ages of buildings, to assess numbers of primary schools primarily occupying buildings built before 1930.

Central Government capital support for investment in schools has increased from under £700 million in 1996-97 to £6.4 billion in 2007-08 and will rise further to £8.0 billion by 2010-11. Progress is being made year-by-year in improving the quality of the school building stock.

Primary Education: Standards

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of pupils attained (a) level 2 or above, (b) level 2A or above and (c) level 3 or above in the key stage 1 assessments in (i) mathematics, (ii) reading and (iii) writing in each year between 1995 and 2007. [155591]

Jim Knight: The information is shown in the following table.


15 Oct 2007 : Column 882W
National curriculum : key stage 1: pupil achievements in key stage 1 all schools: England, 1995 to 2007( 1)
Number of pupils achieving Percentage of pupils achieving
Level 2 or above Level 2A or above Level 3 or above Level 2 or above Level 2A or above Level 3 or above

Reading

1995

466,500

199,600

78

33

1996

464,600

176,600

78

30

1997

489,500

160,300

80

26

1998

500,800

265,700

163,600

80

42

26

1999

513,000

282,500

184,300

82

45

29

2000

504,600

282,500

168,900

83

47

28

2001

505,700

289,800

174,400

84

48

29

2002

495,700

285,700

177,200

84

49

30

2003

487,900

281,400

162,200

84

49

28

2004(2)

499,100

293,700

168,000

85

50

29

2005(3)

484,800

282,200

153,500

85

50

27

2006

474,500

273,900

143,800

84

49

26

2007(4)

457,900

270,800

141,200

84

50

26

Writing

1995

477,300

88,200

80

15

1996

474,600

36,700

79

6

1997

490,200

36,900

80

6

1998

507,800

139,300

45,200

81

22

7

1999

519,600

156,200

51,000

83

25

8

2000

511,000

163,200

53,400

84

27

9

2001

515,800

170,600

57,100

86

28

9

2002

506,100

170,800

55,800

86

29

9

2003

471,000

217,000

93,400

81

37

16

2004(2)

480,900

217,000

93,500

82

37

16

2005(3)

469,200

201,600

85,800

82

35

15

2006

457,300

192,400

78,300

81

34

14

2007(4)

439,000

176,200

68,900

80

32

13

Mathematics

1995

470,700

116,200

79

19

1996

491,500

114,300

82

19

1997

512,700

124,400

84

20

1998

529,000

233,700

118,400

84

37

19

1999

544,000

261,400

134,000

87

42

21

2000

542,900

303,700

153,000

90

50

25

2001

546,100

307,000

166,700

91

51

28

2002

531,900

332,400

184,200

90

56

31

2003

523,300

313,400

169,400

90

54

29

2004(2)

531,500

311,800

165,700

90

53

28

2005(3)

518,000

285,200

130,400

91

50

23

2006

507,300

274,500

120,400

90

49

21

2007(4)

491,400

270,300

120,400

90

49

22

(1) Numbers rounded to the nearest 100, percentages to 0 decimal places.
(2 )The figures for 2004 are derived from combining task/test results for non trial schools and teacher assessment results for trial schools.
(3 )Due to a change in policy the figures for 2005 onwards are taken from teacher assessment results.
(4 )The 2007 analysis is taken from provisional data.
Note:
Fine grading at level 2 did exist in 1995, 1996 and 1997 but these data are not easily assessable.

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