Previous Section Index Home Page

7 Jan 2008 : Column 215W—continued

Faith Schools: Admissions

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of religious schools select pupils for admission by faith; and if he will make a statement. [175146]

Jim Knight: Schools are not allowed to select pupils for admission by faith. Schools designated as having a religious character under section 69 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 may give priority, when oversubscribed, to children on the basis that they
7 Jan 2008 : Column 216W
are members of or practise their faith. We know that practices vary widely and that a number of schools with a religious character do not give priority on the basis of faith and others offer a proportion of places to children without reference to faith.

The priority given to faith applicants is not “selection” (as the term is used in education law) because it does not relate to academic aptitude or ability.

Family Courts

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average time was to complete a (a) private law and (b) public law case in the family courts in the latest period for which figures are available; and what the average cost was of each. [176157]

Bridget Prentice: I have been asked to reply.

In the county court, for the period April to November 2007, it took on average 33.12 weeks to complete a private law case and 55.02 weeks for a public law case. There are no data currently collected in the Family Proceedings Court (FPCs) on the average length of private law cases. In the FPCs the average duration of cases where a care or supervision order was made (April 2007 to November 2007) was 44.3 weeks. Between April and November 2007, 51 per cent. of care and supervision cases in FPCs and 39.6 per cent. of care and supervision cases in care centres were completed within 40 weeks.

The unit cost for private law applications (judicial and administrative costs) for financial year 2006-07 is £996 in the county courts and £1,232 in the Family Proceedings Courts. The equivalent figures for public law applications are £4,286 and £4,014. The average legal aid cost of private law matters is £2,790 and for public law matters is £5,961. No information is held centrally on average local authority costs.

Free School Meals: Greater Manchester

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils on free school meals achieved five grade A*-C GCSEs in (a) Manchester and (b) Greater Manchester in each of the last three years. [170759]

Jim Knight: Information for Greater Manchester is not available. The figures for Manchester are:

2003 / 04 2004 / 05 2005 / 06

Number of eligible pupils

1,925

1,957

1,974

Percentage of pupils on free school meals achieving 5 A*-C GCSE grades

27.0

30.9

32.3


These figures can be found in the following Statistical First Releases (SFRs):


7 Jan 2008 : Column 217W

Figures for the academic year 2006/07 have not yet been published and will be included in the SFR released in the week beginning 28 January 2008.

Free School Meals: North East Region

Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of students in (a) the City of Sunderland and (b) the North East Region are eligible to receive free school meals. [175222]

Jim Knight: Figures from the school census 2007 show that the proportion of students known to be eligible to receive free school meals in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in Sunderland is 16.9 per cent., compared to 18.1 per cent. in the North East region. These figures include dually registered and boarding pupils.

General Certificate of Secondary Education

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) how many maintained mainstream schools did not submit any pupils for a foreign language GCSE in each year since 2002; [171030]

(2) how many pupils sat ICT GNVQ in each year since 2002; and how many of these gained A* to C grades; [171031]

(3) how many pupils sat Edexcel mathematics GCSE in each year since 2000; [171032]

(4) how many mainstream maintained schools did not offer (a) French, (b) German and (c) Spanish GCSE to pupils in each year since 2002; [171041]

(5) how many mainstream maintained schools offer only single science GCSE to pupils; [171042]

(6) how many mainstream maintained schools do not offer the three separate sciences at GCSE to pupils. [171043]

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many mainstream secondary schools have not entered students for a GCSE in (a) a modern language and (b) music in each of the last three years. [171461]

Jim Knight: The information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

General Certificate of Secondary Education: Free School Meals

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of white British boys eligible for free school meals failed to obtain at least five GCSEs at any level in each year between 1996 and 2007; and if he will make a statement. [174196]

Jim Knight: The available information covers the proportion of pupils achieving 5 or more A*-C grades at GCSE or equivalent and are given in the table.


7 Jan 2008 : Column 218W
Percentage of white British boys eligible for free school meals who achieved five A*-C grades at GCSE or equivalent( 1) , at maintained schools, 2002 to 2006
Percentage achieving 5 A*-C grades Percentage not achieving 5 A*-C grades

2002(2)

16.1

83.9

2003

16.8

83.2

2004

18.3

81.7

2005

21.0

79.0

2006

24.0

76.0

(1) Based upon 15 year old pupils (age at start of academic year) for figures up to and including 2004. For 2005 onwards figures are based upon pupils at the end of Key Stage 4. (2) Figures for 2002 relate to pupils classified as 'white' rather than 'white British'.

Data are sourced from the National Pupil Database which began in 2002. The latest figures relate to 2006 where 90.9 per cent. of white British boys eligible for free school meals achieved any passes (9.1 per cent. achieving no passes). These figures are published in Table 32 of SFR46/2006 "National Curriculum Assessment, GCSE and Equivalent Attainment and Post-16 Attainment by Pupil Characteristics in England 2005-06, (Provisional)" which can be found at

Equivalent figures for 2006-07 will be published at the end of January 2008 as additional tables to SFR 38/2007 which can be found at

General Certificate of Secondary Education: Kent

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families in how many secondary schools in Kent over 70 per cent. of pupils did not achieve five A*-C GCSEs, including English and mathematics, in the latest year for which figures are available. [175147]

Jim Knight: The information is available from the 2006 Secondary School Achievement and Attainment Tables in the House of Commons Library.

General Certificate of Secondary Education: North East Region

Mr. Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of pupils in (a) the City of Sunderland and (b) the North East achieved more than five A* to C grades at GCSE in each year since 1997. [175223]

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


7 Jan 2008 : Column 219W
Proportion of 15-year-old pupils( 1) achieving five or more GCSEs at grades A*-C at GCSE or equivalent—years: 1997-2007 (Sunderland LA and the North East region)
Year( 2) Sunderland North East region

1996/97(3)

34.4

36.8

1997/98

32.3

37.1

1998/99

34.6

39.4

1999/2000

38.4

41.7

2000/01

39.2

42.5

2001/02

41.6

44.3

2002/03

44.1

46.8

2003/04(4)

44.2

48,7

2004/05

51.5

53.5

2005/06

54.9

57.3

2006/07

58.7

59.6

(1) Number of pupils on roll aged 15 at the start of the academic year, i.e. 31 August.
(2) Data for 2007 are provisional and final for all other years.
(3) Percentages from 1996/97 include GCSEs and GNVQs.
(4) Percentages from 2003/04 include GCSEs and other equivalent qualifications approved for use pre-16.
Source:
Secondary School Achievement and Attainment tables

Figures include achievements in previous academic years.

The increase in the proportion of 15-year-old pupils achieving five or more good GCSEs in Sunderland (24.3 per cent.) and the North East region (22.8 per cent.) compares favourably with a national increase of 15.2 per cent. over the same period.

General Certificate of Secondary Education: Standards

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will list the (a) top 20 and (b) bottom 20 maintained secondary schools in England on the basis of the proposition of pupils obtaining five A* to C GCSEs in 2007, setting out in each case (i) GCSE performance, (ii) percentage of children eligible for free school meals, (iii) school type, (iv) local authority, (v) OFSTED classification and (vi) percentage of statemented children. [166030]

Jim Knight: This information is not available until the publication of the KS4 Achievement and Attainment Tables on 10 January 2008.

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of secondary schools had fewer than (a) 10 per cent., (b) 20 per cent., (c) 30 per cent., (d) 40 per cent., (e) 50 per cent., (f) 60 per cent., (g) 70 per cent., (h) 80 per cent. and (i) 90 per cent., of pupils obtaining five A* to C grades in GCSEs (i) including English and mathematics and (ii) in all subjects in the latest year for which information is available; and if he will make a statement. [168199]

Jim Knight: Information on secondary schools and the pupils in each school achieving 5+ A*-C and 5+ A*-C including English and mathematics is included in the 2006 key stage 4 achievement and attainment tables. Full details of each school and the requested information can be found in the House of Commons Library. 2007 figures will be available from January 2008.

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools in each local education authority area had fewer than (a) 30 per cent. and (b) 40 per cent. of pupils achieving five passes at GCSE including mathematics and English in each of the last three years. [170290]


7 Jan 2008 : Column 220W

Jim Knight [holding answer 3 December 2007]: Information for each of the years individually is in the Library.

We have summarised the figures in the following table showing the number of schools in each local authority achieving fewer than (a) 30 per cent. and (b) 40 per cent. in all of the last three years.

These figures relate to maintained schools only. Schools without published results for each of the last three years are not included in the analysis.

To answer this question, figures for the academic years 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 have been used as the data for 2006-07 have not yet been published. Schools and colleges will get the chance to amend their results before the revised data are published in January 2008.


7 Jan 2008 : Column 221W

7 Jan 2008 : Column 222W

7 Jan 2008 : Column 223W
Schools with <30 per cent. and <40 per cent. 5+ A*-C including English and mathematics 2004-2006
LA number LA name <30 per cent. <40 per cent.

202

Camden

3

5

203

Greenwich

5

9

204

Hackney

4

6

205

Hammersmith and Fulham

5

5

206

Islington

5

9

207

Kensington and Chelsea

0

0

208

Lambeth

6

6

209

Lewisham

5

7

210

Southwark

9

9

211

Tower Hamlets

9

12

212

Wandsworth

9

11

213

City of Westminster

2

3

301

Barking

3

6

302

Barnet

4

6

303

Bexley

6

9

304

Brent

4

7

305

Bromley

3

6

306

Croydon

11

14

307

Ealing

4

8

308

Enfield

8

10

309

Haringey

8

9

310

Harrow

1

3

311

Havering

4

7

312

Hillingdon

5

9

313

Hounslow

5

6

314

Kingston upon Thames

3

4

315

Merton

4

5

316

Newham

1

8

317

Redbridge

2

3

318

Richmond upon Thames

1

3

319

Sutton

4

5

320

Waltham Forest

4

11

330

Birmingham

41

47

331

Coventry

8

14

332

Dudley

8

13

333

Sandwell

12

16

334

Solihull

7

7

335

Walsall

11

15

336

Wolverhampton

9

14

340

Knowsley

8

10

341

Liverpool

17

22

342

St. Helens

3

6

343

Sefton

9

11

344

Wirral

9

13

350

Bolton

6

10

351

Bury

1

2

352

Manchester

18

23

353

Oldham

6

9

354

Rochdale

6

10

355

Salford

8

10

356

Stockport

2

6

357

Tameside

7

9

358

Trafford

7

8

359

Wigan

5

12

370

Barnsley

4

10

371

Doncaster

11

15

372

Rotherham

7

10

373

Sheffield

9

16

380

Bradford

12

19

381

Calderdale

3

9

382

Kirklees

12

18

383

Leeds

13

18

384

Wakefield

2

10

390

Gateshead

5

9

391

Newcastle upon Tyne

5

8

392

North Tyneside

3

6

393

South Tyneside

3

8

394

Sunderland

9

13

420

Isles of Scilly

0

0

800

Bath and North East Somerset

2

4

801

City of Bristol

15

16

802

North Somerset

2

5

803

South Gloucestershire

2

6

805

Hartlepool

2

3

806

Middlesbrough

7

7

807

Redcar and Cleveland

2

5

808

Stockton-on-Tees

6

9

810

City of Kingston upon Hull

12

14

811

East Riding of Yorkshire

2

5

812

North East Lincolnshire

9

10

813

North Lincolnshire

3

9

815

North Yorkshire

10

12

816

York

1

3

820

Bedfordshire

6

10

821

Luton

3

6

825

Buckinghamshire

11

17

826

Milton Keynes

7

8

830

Derbyshire

9

20

831

City of Derby

5

6

835

Dorset

4

7

836

Poole

3

3

837

Bournemouth

3

5

840

Durham

11

26

841

Darlington

3

5

845

East Sussex

10

14

846

Brighton and Hove

6

8

850

Hampshire

16

24

851

Portsmouth

7

9

852

Southampton

7

11

855

Leicestershire

1

4

856

Leicester City

10

13

857

Rutland

0

0

860

Staffordshire

15

25

861

Stoke on Trent

11

13

865

Wiltshire

4

10

866

Swindon

4

6

867

Bracknell Forest

1

4

868

Windsor and Maidenhead

1

3

869

Newbury

2

3

870

Reading

3

4

871

Slough

4

7

872

Wokingham

2

3

873

Cambridgeshire

8

10

874

Peterborough

9

12

875

Cheshire

14

17

876

Halton

5

8

877

Warrington

3

5

878

Devon

7

14

879

Plymouth

11

11

880

Torbay

4

5

881

Essex

30

43

882

Southend

7

8

883

Thurrock

1

3

884

Herefordshire

2

4

885

Worcestershire

9

15

886

Kent

51

69

887

Rochester and Gillingham

8

12

888

Lancashire

21

36

889

Blackburn

3

8

890

Blackpool

5

7

891

Nottinghamshire

20

32

892

Nottingham City

15

16

893

Shropshire

1

2

894

TheWrekin

7

11

908

Cornwall

2

6

909

Cumbria

5

16

916

Gloucestershire

15

16

919

Hertfordshire

20

34

921

Isle of Wight

2

3

925

Lincolnshire

26

42

926

Norfolk

13

23

928

Northamptonshire

15

21

929

Northumberland

6

8

931

Oxfordshire

8

12

933

Somerset

4

12

935

Suffolk

8

15

936

Surrey

19

24

937

Warwickshire

9

17

938

West Sussex

11

15


Next Section Index Home Page