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Education: Assessments

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what the costs of administering national tests at (a) Key Stage 1, (b) Key Stage 2, (c) Key Stage 3, (d) Key Stage 4 and (e) AS level were in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement; [163447]

(2) what the cost of the national examination and national testing systems in England was for all maintained schools in each year since 1997-98; and if he will make a statement. [163448]

Jim Knight: The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's estimate of the costs of delivering the national curriculum tests for Key Stage 1, Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 are as follows:

Total cost of NCT
£000

2007-08

50,570

2006-07

51,559

2005-06

51,743

2004-05

43,828

2003-04

40,231

2002-03

38,944

2001-02

28,074

2000-01

28,014

1999-2000

25,693

1998-99

19,672


QCA's records do not support the split of this information between the various key stages.

Public examinations at Key Stage 4 and GCE AS level are administered by independent awarding bodies. Information on their costs is not collected centrally in the form requested. There are no fees for national curriculum tests for maintained schools. The information in the following table covers the costs incurred by all local authority maintained primary, secondary and special schools, for test administration and examination entry fees and any accreditation costs related to pupils taking GCSEs, GNVQs, AS and A2 qualifications.

£ million
Academic year( 1) Amount spent on examination entries

2002-03

156

2003-04

174

2004-05

198

2005-06

220

(1) It was only in 2002-03 that the Department began collecting information in sufficient detail to answer this question.

3 Dec 2007 : Column 936W

These costs, essential for recognising individual achievement and monitoring the performance of the system, represent a small fraction of the total annual public investment in education.

Education: Cost Efficiency

Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much of the planned efficiency savings under the Spending Review 2004 are expected to be generated by (a) Using Cover Supervisors, listed as element A1(b) on page 7, (b) Pay Restructuring, listed as element A1(c) on page 7 and (c) Modernisation of the Teachers Pension Scheme, listed as element A1(d) on page 8 of the departmental Efficiency Technical Note of April 2006. [167725]

Jim Knight: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given on 26 November 2007, Official R eport, column 267W, to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable). Details of DCSF’s progress towards our Gershon target will be reported in the Department’s Autumn Performance Report. This will be published on 7 December 2007.

Education: Disabled

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what studies his Department has made of the effectiveness of assistive technologies to assist with the learning of visually impaired and dyslexic children in primary and secondary schools. [165767]

Kevin Brennan: The Department has not carried out formal studies into the effectiveness of assistive technologies. The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice which provides advice on carrying out statutory duties to identify, assess and make provision for pupils' special educational needs says that schools should explore the possible benefits of, and where practicable, secure access for a pupil to appropriate technology. The code also makes it clear that local authorities and schools must make decisions about which actions and provision are appropriate for which pupils on an individual basis.

The Department is currently working with RNIB and a number of other organisations including the British Dyslexia Association to improve the provision of educational materials in accessible formats in schools.

Education: Immigrants

Mr. Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the effect of migration from A8 countries on education spending per capita in each Government Office of the region. [167646]

Jim Knight: The Government have made no specific assessment of the effect of migration from A8 countries on education spending per capita in each Government Office region. School funding is based on overall pupil projections, using ONS population projections, which take account of migration and birth
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rate. School funding for individual local authorities is allocated on actual pupil numbers based on the January school census.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families has recently announced an additional exceptional circumstances grant to local authorities with significant extra pressures on their schools budgets from new arrivals, between January and the start of the school-year. This will be on a case by case basis when there is a significant increase in pupil numbers in a local authority; or where the proportion of EAL pupils significantly increases in a local authority.

Educational Institutions: Crime

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many students in Romford have been charged with a criminal offence by the police for incidents that took place (a) in
3 Dec 2007 : Column 938W
educational institutions or (b) on school property in each of the last five years. [168423]

Jim Knight: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Free School Meals

Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the change in the proportion of children entitled to free school dinners at (a) denominational primary schools, (b) denominational secondary schools, (c) maintained primary schools, (d) maintained secondary schools, (e) grammar schools and (f) academies in each year since 1990. [167575]

Jim Knight: The available information for 1997, 2002 and 2007 is given in the table:

Maintained primary and secondary schools ( 1) : School meal arrangements by denomination of school Position in January each year: 1997, 2002 and 2007—England
Maintained primary schools
Faith schools Other schools Total
Number of pupils Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Number of pupils Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Number of pupils Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals

1997 (2)

1,235,350

205,660

16.6

3,193,260

732,860

23.0

4,428,620

938,540

21.2

2002 (2)

1,223,840

154,100

12.6

3,139,430

596,500

19.0

4,363,260

750,590

17.2

2007 (3)

1,198,860

139,100

11.6

2,911,890

516,400

17.7

4,110,750

655,510

15.9


Maintained secondary schools
Faith schools Other schools Total
Number of pupils Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Number of pupils Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Number of pupils Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals

1997 (2)

604

91,460

15.1

2,432,210

461,440

19.0

3,036,990

552,900

18.2

2002 (2)

500

65,090

13.0

2,760,000

421,270

15.3

3,260,930

486,350

14.9

2007 (3)

526

59,830

11.4

2,745,880

369,870

13.5

3,272,460

429,700

13.1

(1) Includes middle schools as deemed.
(2) Number of pupils include those with sole and dual registration. Excludes boarders.
(3) Includes pupils with sole and dual main registration. Includes boarders.
Note:
Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. There may be discrepancies between the sum of constituent items and totals as shown.
Source:
School Census

Secondary schools: School meal arrangements Position in January each year: 1997, 2002 and 2007—England
Maintained secondary schools
Grammar schools Other maintained secondary schools
Number of pupils Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Number of pupils Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals

1997 (2)

127,780

4,730

3.7

2,909,220

548,170

18.8

2002 (2)

147,790

3,260

2.2

3,113,140

483,090

15.5

2007 (3)

156,870

3,140

2.0

3,115,610

426,560

13.7



3 Dec 2007 : Column 939W

3 Dec 2007 : Column 940W
Maintained secondary schools Academies
Total
Number of pupils Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Number of pupils Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals

1997 (2)

3,036,990

552,900

18.2

n/a

n/a

n/a

2002 (2)

3,260,930

486,350

14.9

n/a

n/a

n/a

2007 (3)

3,272,480

429,700

13.1

41.561

13,894

33.4

n/a = not available
(1) Includes middle schools as deemed.
(2) Number of pupils include those with sole and dual registration. Excludes boarders.
(3) Includes pupils with sole and dual main registration. Includes boarders.
Note:
Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. There may be discrepancies between the sum of constituent items and totals as shown.
Source:
School Census

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