Previous Section Index Home Page

19 Nov 2007 : Column 630W—continued


Education Maintenance Allowance

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the effect of education maintenance allowance payments on achievement by students receiving them. [165080]

Jim Knight: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is responsible for the operation of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) Scheme. An analysis of the impact of EMA on participation and attainment has been commissioned by the LSC and the results of this analysis are due to be published in November 2007. A copy of these reports, with a summary of key findings, will be placed in the House Library when they are published.

Education: Climate Change

Mr. Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will provide grants for the recruitment of external experts to teach climate change science and sustainability in primary and secondary schools. [163342]

Kevin Brennan [holding answer 15 November 2007]: We want all schools to become Sustainable Schools by 2020. The Sustainable Schools Framework and self evaluation tool have been designed, following wide consultation, to help senior managers, teachers and pupils adopt a whole school approach so that schools’ commitment to sustainability is demonstrated by the way the buildings and grounds are managed, their relationships with the local community and through the curriculum. To become sustainable, schools need to develop their own expertise, drawing on external support where they identify it is needed.

Expert organisations, such as the Met Office, the Association of Science Education and the Royal Geographical Society already provide support and resources for teachers. Science Learning Centres provide training for both primary and secondary teachers in sustainability and the science of climate change. There are many other sources of support including businesses, local authorities and non-governmental organisations. We have no plans to provide grants for external experts to teach climate change and sustainability in schools.

Education: Isle of Wight

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what direction has been given to the Isle of Wight council in relation to proposed structural changes to the educational system on the island; [164465]

(2) what changes are (a) planned and (b) proposed for (i) high schools, (ii) middle schools, (iii) primary schools and (iv) nursery schools on the Isle of Wight. [164673]

Jim Knight [holding answer 15 November 2007]: The Secretary of State has not issued a direction to the Isle of Wight in relation to the structure of schools within the local authority’s area.

School place planning is a local matter and it is for the local authority to work with local stakeholders to determine whether structural changes should be proposed to the organisation of schools. Where changes are proposed, a statutory process must be followed which provides for consultation with those affected; formal publication of a notice in a local newspaper and other places where those affected might see it; and an opportunity for people to submit comments and objections. Most decisions will be taken by the local authority with some explicit powers of appeal to the schools adjudicator.

Education: Overseas Students

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether EU citizens from other member states aged between 16 and 18 years old resident in England will have to remain in education or training until the age of 18 years old under the terms of the proposed Education and Skills Bill; and if he will make a statement. [165146]

Jim Knight: All young people resident in England would be subject to the requirement to remain in education and training until their 18(th) birthday or completion of a level 3 programme, whichever is the earlier. This would include 16 and 17-year-olds resident in England who are citizens of other countries.


19 Nov 2007 : Column 631W

Education: Standards

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what results he expects his Department's pursuit of the five outcomes for children and young people to age 19 to have had by 2010 on (a) all pupils in education and (b) those pupils at Key Stage 4 in that year in schools which achieved (i) 70 per cent. or above five A*-C grades and (ii) 62 per cent. five A*-C grades including English and mathematics in the latest period for which figures are available. [165568]

Jim Knight: Pupil performance and well-being go hand in hand, and doing well in education is the most effective route for young people out of poverty and disaffection. We introduced the Every Child Matters agenda to give every child the best start in life so they realise their potential because this is crucial to every child's life chances and to society's well-being. Educational attainment is at the very heart of Every Child Matters. It is a key priority which goes hand in hand with a child's well-being.

We know that there are benefits to the individual, the country and society from the attainment of qualifications. Individuals who achieve a level 2 qualification, equivalent to five or more GCSEs at A*-C, earn on average around £100,000 more over their lifetime than those who leave learning with qualifications below level 2. In addition to higher wages, better qualified individuals enjoy improved employment prospects, are more likely to get promoted and undertake further learning in the future. There are also wider benefits such as better health and improved social skills. Higher skill levels lead to increased productivity for businesses and those who achieve qualifications are less likely to experience teenage pregnancy, be involved in crime or behave antisocially. That is why, by 2010-11, we expect 82 per cent. of 19 year-olds to achieve a level 2 qualification.

We know too that approximately 75 per cent. of young people who have had a positive experience at school, and have achieved level 2 by the age of 16, go on to attain level 3 qualifications. And, of those young people who obtain 5 A*-C GCSEs in year 11, approximately 52 per cent. go on to degree level study. We want more young people to gain higher level skills and have the opportunity to progress to higher education if they want to. To help deliver this ambition we have set a target of 54 per cent. of 19 year-olds to achieve a level 3 qualification by 2010-11 in CSR07.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) whether the new independent qualification regulator will be empowered to carry out sampling tests of pupils on a random basis to independently verify changes in educational standards; and if he will make a statement; [166039]

(2) on what date he plans to publish the consultation documentation on the future of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. [166042]

Jim Knight: We plan to publish a consultation paper setting out our proposals for the future of qualifications regulation and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority around the turn of the year. This will include proposals for the powers of the new independent regulator of
19 Nov 2007 : Column 632W
qualifications and tests. My right hon. friend the Secretary of State will make a statement to the House to announce the start of the consultation.

Free School Meals

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether people aged 16 to 18 years in full-time education studying in (a) school sixth forms, (b) sixth form colleges, (c) further education colleges and (d) academies, whose parents fulfil the qualifying criteria in other respects, are entitled to free lunches; and if he will make a statement. [163222]

Jim Knight: Where parents fulfil the qualifying criteria, local authorities or school governing bodies have a duty to provide free school meals to children who are registered pupils at schools. This includes those in school sixth forms, and academies, but not those attending sixth form or further education colleges. We have no plans to change the criteria for free school meals.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what proportion of pupils were entitled to free school meals in each school in each year since 2003; and if he will make a statement; [165753]

(2) what proportion of pupils had special educational needs in each school in England in 2006-07; and if he will make a statement. [165754]

Jim Knight: The available information has been placed in the Library. This contains figures for the current year, figures for earlier years cannot be provided within the time scale.

General Certificate of Secondary Education: Young Offenders

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what proportion of 16-year-olds who had been in custody for more than one year were entered for GCSE examinations in each year since 2001; [165164]

(2) what proportion of 16-year-olds in custody gained five A* to Cs at GCSE in each year since 2001. [165165]

Jim Knight: The information required to answer the question is not held centrally.

Head Teachers: Parenting Orders

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what progress his Department has made on granting new powers to head teachers to apply to courts for parenting orders. [164756]

Jim Knight: The provisions in the Education and Inspections Act 2006 to allow school governing bodies to apply to courts for parenting orders following either exclusion, or serious misbehaviour by pupils which would warrant exclusion if continued, came into force on 1 September 2007.


19 Nov 2007 : Column 633W

LEAs: Cost-effectiveness

Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will list local education authorities in England ranked in order of value for money by correlating guaranteed per pupil funding for 2006 with the percentage of pupils attaining five or more GCSEs at grade A* to C including English and mathematics in 2006. [165054]

Jim Knight: The following table shows local authorities ranked, where 1 is the highest, by the percentage of pupils achieving 5+A*-C at GCSE and equivalent (including English and mathematics) in academic year 2005/06 and by funding per pupil in financial year 2005-06.

A correlation of funding and attainment would not provide a meaningful measure of value for money. Those local authorities with higher levels of deprivation and other needs receive higher levels of funding per pupil to deliver the additional support required to raise standards and narrow the attainment gap between these groups of pupils and their peers. The factors which attract higher levels of funding are also those which are known to be associated with lower levels of attainment.


19 Nov 2007 : Column 634W

19 Nov 2007 : Column 635W

19 Nov 2007 : Column 636W
Local authority Percentage of pupils achieving level 2 threshold including English and mathematics in 2005/06 Rank of percentage achieving level 2 threshold including English and mathematics Funding per pupil in 2005-06 (£) Rank of funding per pupil 2005-06

Barking and Dagenham

37.7

112

4,979

22

Barnet

55.9

8

4,903

25

Barnsley

30.7

140

4,325

90

Bath and North East Somerset

52.0

19

4,051

134

Bedfordshire

44.1

67

4,263

99

Bexley

50.3

25

4,401

69

Birmingham

40.8

90

4,882

28

Blackburn with Darwen

38.6

105

4,742

34

Blackpool

34.2

129

4,350

82

Bolton

38.0

109

4,354

79

Bournemouth

43.6

72

4,076

129

Bracknell Forest

47.2

49

4,352

80

Bradford

34.0

130

4,668

39

Brent

48.9

35

5,603

15

Brighton and Hove

41.8

83

4,456

61

Bristol, City of

30.4

141

4,528

53

Bromley

54.2

12

4,478

59

Buckinghamshire

59.1

2

4,331

87

Bury

47.9

44

4,145

118

Calderdale

43.8

71

4,335

86

Cambridgeshire

50.2

27

4,121

121

Camden

45.7

57

6,462

6

Cheshire

50.6

23

4,035

138

Cornwall

43.9

70

4,175

113

Coventry

37.8

111

4,505

55

Croydon

42.7

79

4,752

33

Cumbria

45.3

60

4,272

96

Darlington

44.7

63

4,272

95

Derby

42.2

81

4,348

83

Derbyshire

45.5

58

4,050

135

Devon

46.2

54

4,121

122

Doncaster

34.8

125

4,443

63

Dorset

50.0

30

4,052

133

Dudley

43.0

75

4,107

124

Durham

40.4

95

4,365

77

Ealing

48.8

37

5,372

16

East Riding of Yorkshire

49.8

32

4,043

136

East Sussex

41.3

87

4,330

89

Enfield

43.0

75

4,928

23

Essex

45.2

61

4,277

93

Gateshead

45.0

62

4,483

58

Gloucestershire

53.8

13

4,066

130

Greenwich

31.4

139

6,032

11

Hackney

36.7

118

6,845

2

Halton

33.3

135

4,697

37

Hammersmith and Fulham

49.0

34

6,372

8

Hampshire

50.2

27

4,032

139

Haringey

34.3

128

5,743

13

Harrow

53.4

16

4,788

31

Hartlepool

37.5

113

4,553

51

Havering

54.6

10

4,370

76

Herefordshire

48.2

42

4,268

97

Hertfordshire

53.7

14

4,233

105

Hillingdon

43.5

73

4,791

30

Hounslow

50.9

22

5,219

18

Isle of Wight

36.8

117

4,433

66

Islington

32.8

137

6,603

4

Kensington and Chelsea

54.3

11

6,565

5

Kent

46.8

50

4,310

91

Kingston upon Hull, City of

25.9

148

4,581

46

Kingston upon Thames

58.6

4

4,602

44

Kirklees

40.8

90

4,377

73

Knowsley

26.1

147

4,897

27

Lambeth

41.7

85

6,607

3

Lancashire

45.9

55

4,202

111

Leeds

40.4

95

4,341

85

Leicester

33.5

133

4,736

35

Leicestershire

46.7

51

3,883

148

Lewisham

40.8

90

6,205

10

Lincolnshire

48.6

39

4,226

107

Liverpool

35.5

121

4,901

26

Luton

36.5

119

4,727

36

Manchester

29.0

145

5,122

20

Medway

44.0

68

4,215

109

Merton

39.5

100

4,865

29

Middlesbrough

30.3

142

4,925

24

Milton Keynes

38.7

103

4,484

57

Newcastle upon Tyne

33.5

133

4,672

38

Newham

41.1

89

5,631

14

Norfolk

44.5

64

4,214

110

North East Lincolnshire

35.4

122

4,343

84

North Lincolnshire

38.5

106

4,266

98

North Somerset

47.4

48

4,085

126

North Tyneside

47.9

44

4,276

94

North Yorkshire

53.5

15

4,147

117

Northamptonshire

42.1

82

4,125

120

Northumberland

48.9

35

4,291

92

Nottingham

28.5

146

4,996

21

Nottinghamshire

40.1

97

4,037

137

Oldham

35.4

122

4,555

50

Oxfordshire

47.5

47

4,259

100

Peterborough

39.4

102

4,556

49

Plymouth

42.5

80

4,223

108

Poole

52.0

19

3,991

142

Portsmouth

29.2

144

4,388

71

Reading

46.5

52

4,753

32

Redbridge

59.1

2

4,640

41

Redcar and Cleveland

40.1

97

4,464

60

Richmond upon Thames

49.7

33

4,355

78

Rochdale

37.1

115

4,627

42

Rotherham

37.5

113

4,350

81

Rutland

56.1

7

4,175

112

Salford

32.0

138

4,622

43

Sandwell

29.7

143

4,592

45

Sefton

44.0

68

4,330

88

Sheffield

37.1

115

4,374

75

Shropshire

50.3

25

4,158

115

Slough

55.2

9

5,147

19

Solihull

50.5

24

3,990

143

Somerset

44.5

64

4,065

131

South Gloucestershire

44.4

66

3,947

146

South Tyneside

39.5

100

4,578

47

Southampton

36.2

120

4,521

54

Southend-on-Sea

49.9

31

4,406

68

Southwark

34.4

127

6,378

7

St. Helens

38.0

109

4,386

72

Staffordshire

42.8

78

3,963

145

Stockport

50.1

29

3,967

144

Stockton-on-Tees

41.2

88

4,375

74

Stoke-on-Trent

33.3

135

4,549

52

Suffolk

45.9

55

4,057

132

Sunderland

33.9

132

4,456

62

Surrey

52.7

18

4,241

103

Sutton

63.1

1

4,557

48

Swindon

40.7

93

4,079

128

Tameside

38.5

106

4,249

101

Telford and Wrekin

39.6

99

4,240

104

Thurrock

38.5

106

4,491

56

Torbay

45.5

58

4,161

114

Tower Hamlets

34.0

130

6,937

1

Trafford

57.0

6

4,119

123

Wakefield

42.9

77

4,226

106

Walsall

34.9

124

4,398

70

Waltham Forest

38.7

103

5,272

17

Wandsworth

41.8

83

5,887

12

Warrington

48.6

39

3,928

147

Warwickshire

48.0

43

4,081

127

West Berkshire

51.6

21

4,423

67

West Sussex

47.7

46

4,144

119

Westminster

40.6

94

6,212

9

Wigan

41.7

85

4,149

116

Wiltshire

48.5

41

4,102

125

Windsor and Maidenhead

52.8

17

4,439

64

Wirral

46.3

53

4,434

65

Wokingham

57.7

5

4,245

102

Wolverhampton

34.7

126

4,653

40

Worcestershire

43.1

74

3,994

141

York

48.8

37

4,003

140

Notes:
1. Price Base: Real terms at 2006-07 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 26 September 2007.
2. Figures reflect relevant sub-blocks of education formula spending (EFS) settlements and include the pensions transfer to EFS and the Learning and Skills Council.
3. Total funding also includes all revenue grants in DfES departmental expenditure limits relevant to pupils aged three to 19 and exclude education maintenance allowances (EMAs) and grants not allocated at LEA level.
4. The pupil numbers used to convert £ million figures to £ per pupil are those underlying the EFS settlement calculations.
5. Isles of Scilly have been excluded due to small numbers.
6. Where underlying values are equal, authorities are given the same rank value.

Next Section Index Home Page