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3 Dec 2007 : Column 951W—continued
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much of the annual budget for the music standards fund was allocated for (a) instrumental and (b) voice tuition in each of the last five years. [169016]
Jim Knight: This information is not collected centrally.
Mr. Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much of the annual budget for the music standards fund was (a) devolved to schools and (b) given to local authority music services in the latest period for which figures are available. [169017]
Jim Knight:
Since 2006 the Music Standards Fund has comprised two elements. First the baseline grant to local authorities of £59 million to enhance opportunities for pupils to access high quality music education, with a priority on instrumental and vocal opportunities at Key Stage 2. Second local authorities
received a new allocation through the Music Standards Fund grant, of £3million in 2006-07 and £23 million in 2007-08, to be devolved to schools serving Key Stage 2 pupils. This allocation allows primary and special schools themselves to begin buying in instrumental and vocal tuition at Key Stage 2, either from the Local Authority Music Service or from other local providers. We understand that in many local authorities schools have decided to buy in support from their local music service. In each of the years from 2008-09 to 2010-11 the whole £82 million available will go to local authorities to support the new music education ambitions set out on 21 November. However, they will be expected to secure the agreement of the School Forums as to its precise use.
National Evaluation of Children's Trusts
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will publish the National Evaluation of Children’s Trusts commissioned by his Department. [169156]
Beverley Hughes: The “National Evaluation of Children’s Trust Pathfinders Final Report”; was published in March 2007 and can be found at:
Ofsted
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether Ofsted is up-to-date with its planned cycle of inspections; and if he will make a statement. [163189]
Jim Knight: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the Library.
Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 20 November 2007:
Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for a response. I shall cover each area of Ofsted’s remit in turn.
1. Early Years
Current regulations for the inspection of childcare and funded nursery education were introduced in October 2005 and stipulate that the present prescribed cycle will run until 31 August 2009. However, Ofsted has given a commitment that these inspections will be carried out by the end of March 2008. Of the 101,614 providers, 21,081 remain to be inspected. It will be a significant challenge for Ofsted to complete all of these by the end of March 2008, but we are optimistic that we can do this. This will be over a year ahead of the prescribed cycle and will enable us to start inspecting the new Early Years Foundation Stage from its inception in September 2008, on a new prescribed cycle agreed with Government.
2. Maintained schools
Under the current inspection framework for maintained schools, the Education (School Inspection) (England) Regulations 2005 stipulate that all maintained schools should be inspected between 1 September 2005 and 1 August 2009; and thereafter, they should be inspected within three school years from the end of the school year in which the last inspection took place. There are nearly 23,000 maintained schools in England. In 2005-06, 6,128 schools were inspected and in 2006-07 8,323 schools were inspected. Ofsted is therefore on target to complete inspections within the time limit prescribed by the regulations.
3. Colleges of further education
Ofsted commenced a second four-year cycle of inspections of further education colleges in September 2005. Ofsted is on course to complete this cycle of inspections by August 2009.
4. Non-association independent schools
Ofsted is up to date with its inspections of non-association independent schools. By April 2008 it will have completed the first cycle of inspections in these schools and will have completed 455 inspections during this financial year.
5. Joint area reviews of local services for children
Under the Framework for the inspection of children's services, a joint area review of each local authority area will be carried out between September 2005 and December 2008. The scope of joint area reviews includes services for children and young people aged 0-19 years inclusive, whether provided by statutory, voluntary or private providers. There are 150 local authority areas in England. In 2005-06 fieldwork for 28 joint area reviews was completed; in 2006-07 fieldwork for 49 was completed; in 2007-08 fieldwork for 41 joint area reviews is scheduled to take place; and in 2008-09 fieldwork for 32 is scheduled. Ofsted is therefore on target to complete all joint area reviews within the time limit specified in the framework
6. Secure settings for young people
The 2007-08 programme for the inspection of secure children's homes and secure training centres is on schedule to be completed as planned.
Young offender institutions and immigration removal centres are inspected by Ofsted in partnership with Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP). Ofsted works in partnership with HMIP and inspects in line with their schedule. The 2007-08 programme is on schedule to be completed as planned.
7. Initial teacher education
The current initial teacher training inspection (primary and secondary provision) framework and the three year formal service agreement between Ofsted and the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) stipulate that all providers of initial teacher training should be inspected at least once between 1 September 2005 and 31 July 2008. There are 192 providers of initial teacher training in England. In 2005-06, 54 were inspected; in 2006-07, 73 were inspected; in 2007-08 Ofsted is scheduled to inspect the remaining 70 providers. Ofsted is therefore on target (192 scheduled inspections, three re-inspections, one early inspection on behalf of the TDA and one inspection spread over two years) to complete the inspection of initial teacher training within the agreed time limit for the current initial teacher training Framework.
The current framework for the inspection of further education teacher training stipulates that all providers of further education teacher training should be inspected at least once between 1 September 2004 and 31 July 2008. There are 58 higher education institutions providing further education teacher training in England; in 2004-05 13 were inspected; in 2005-06 12 were inspected; in 2006-07 12 were inspected; in 2007-08 Ofsted is scheduled to inspect 17. Four higher education institutions providing initial teacher training had their inspections deferred according to the agreed deferral criteria and will be inspected early in the next inspection cycle. Ofsted is therefore on target to complete the inspection of further education teacher training within the agreed time limit for the current Framework.
8. Children's social care
Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills (Fees and Frequency of Inspections) (Children's Homes etc) Regulations 2007 set out the required frequency of inspection for each type of social care. The variety in the frequency of inspection stipulated makes reporting upon progress complex. However, as at 30 September 2007, Ofsted has 3,707 active institutions to inspect. (Registered children's home must have two inspections during every 12 month period). Since April 1,673 inspections have been completed. We are confident that, although the timescale is demanding, Ofsted remains on target to complete each inspection cycle.
9. Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS)
There is no cycle of inspections of CAFCASS. Instead, there is an annual programme of inspection of CAFCASS which focuses on issues of priority and risk. The 2007-08 programme is on schedule to be completed as planned.
10. Adult learning
Ofsted is up to date with its cycles of inspection of adult learning and on course to complete them on time. The four-year cycle of work based learning should be complete by summer 2009; that for step provision by April 2009; that for adult and community learning by summer 2010 and that for leamdirect by November 2010. Ofsted is also on course to complete the various cycles of inspections of Department of Work and Pensions training providers within the planned timescales.
A copy of this reply has been sent to Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Schools and Learners and will be placed in the Library of both Houses.
Parents: Information Services
Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of local authorities’ progress in preparing for the new duty under the Childcare Act 2006 of providing a comprehensive information service for all parents; and if he will make a statement. [164031]
Beverley Hughes: It is for local authorities to review performance and development of current and future delivery arrangements for information services in their area, under the strategic lead of their Children’s Trusts. Although no formal assessment of progress has been carried out by the Department. I am aware that many local information services have responded positively to the prospect of the broadened duty and are already providing more information than is currently required. We undertook a formal consultation with all authorities and CISs last year, and have had ongoing feedback through regular official level contact with information services and others.
Pupil Exclusions: Special Educational Needs
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of fixed period exclusions were given to pupils (a) with special educational needs and (b) entitled to free school meals in (i) secondary schools and (ii) primary schools in each year since 1997. [167779]
Kevin Brennan: Information on fixed period exclusions was collected for the first time for the academic year 2003/04. The available information relating to the number of fixed period exclusions by special educational needs is given in the table.
A free school meal indicator is not directly collected for excluded pupils. The requested information could be produced by linking with other data sources, but this could be done only at disproportionate costs.
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