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21 Jan 2008 : Column 1742W—continued
Secondary Education: GCE A-Levels
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of secondary schools with sixth forms submitted more than one pupil for A-Level in (a) mathematics, (b) physics, (c) chemistry, (d) biology, (e) French, (f) Spanish, (g) German and (h) Mandarin in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [178451]
Jim Knight: The 2006-07 revised figures are provided as follows:
| Number of secondary schools with sixth forms who submitted more than one pupil for A level | Percentage of secondary schools with sixth forms who submitted more than one pupil for a level | |
Secondary Education: Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children aged 11 to 16 years (a) there were in Newcastle-upon-Tyne local education authority schools and (b) were resident in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in each year from 2004 to 2007. [178192]
Jim Knight: The information requested is set out as follows:
Secondary Education: Teaching Methods
Mr. Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate has been made of the cost of introducing small group tuition into secondary schools. [180467]
Jim Knight: There is no single DCSF programme of small group tuition, although there are various programmes which encourage its use, including the Every Child a Reader and Every Child Counts programmes in primary schools, and Study Plus in secondary schools.
This range of programmes and the variety and flexibility of approaches used in schools already mean that we cannot give a simple cost for small group teaching in either primary or secondary schools. However, £1.6 billion has been committed to support personalised learning over the Comprehensive spending review SR period 2008-11, building on the £990 million allocated over the last two years. This funding is designed to ensure that every school has the capacity to deliver personalised learning, including the use of smaller groups where appropriate.
Specialised Diplomas
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will make a statement on the equivalence between diplomas and GCSEs. [179707]
Jim Knight: On 18 December 2007, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) announced that the diplomas would be judged equivalent to 5 GCSEs grade A*-G at the foundation level, 7 GCSEs grade A*-C at the higher level and 3.5 A-levels grade A*-E at the advanced level. The equivalence given to diplomas reflects the size and challenge of completing a large composite qualification.
Mr. Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the cost of introducing the new system of school diplomas. [180445]
Jim Knight: The estimated cost of introducing diplomas for 2008/09 is as follows:
KS4: £158 million direct/indirect costs of delivery
£45 million for the additional costs of work force development
The LSC will provide funding for 16 to 18-year-olds taking up diplomas in sixth forms and colleges based on the funding rates published on 21 December 2007 at http://www.lsc.gov.uk/providers/funding-policy/strategic-overview. These are based on an assessment of cost for each diploma line and level of learning.
The cost in subsequent years will not be known until the number of places and learners are confirmed.
Mr. Gibb:
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he plans to publish the curriculum specification for the diploma qualifications in (a) Construction and Built Environment, (b) Information Technology, (c) Creative and Media, (d) Society, Health and Development and (e) Engineering
at the (i) Foundation Diploma level, (ii) Higher Diploma level and (iii) Advanced Diploma level. [180799]
Jim Knight: To support the delivery of Diploma learning, we have developed and published guidance in September 2007 for the first five lines of learning, at Foundation Level (level one), Higher Level (level two) and Advanced Level (level three). The purpose of publishing this guidance early at least a year before first teaching of the Diplomas is to support partnership curriculum planners and teachers in making decisions about introducing the Diploma and devising schemes of work. The following curriculum specifications have been accredited and published for first teaching in September 2008:
Construction and the Built Environment
Creative and Media
Engineering
Information Technology
Society, Health and Development.
The guidance is available online at:
Specialised Diplomas: Finance
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what additional finance will be made available to schools for each student studying for a diploma; and if he will make a statement. [179706]
Jim Knight: An initial allocation of £26 million to cover the additional costs of diplomas in respect of pupils starting diplomas at key stage 4 in 2008/09 was notified to local authorities on 18 December 2007. The average level of funding payable per student from this source in 2008-09 will amount to £1,000.
The LSC will provide funding for 16 to 18-year-olds taking up Diplomas in sixth forms and colleges based on the funding rates published on 21 December 2007.
Further details of the funding available and the rates that apply can be accessed through the 14-19 education and skills website at
http://www,dfes.gov.uk/14-19/index.cfm?sid=43
Specialist Schools: Barnet
Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which schools in Barnet have specialist status; what their specialisms are in each case; what funding was made available to each in the latest period for which figures are available; what outstanding applications for specialist status there are; and if he will make a statement. [177527]
Jim Knight: The following table shows the information requested. There are 13 maintained secondary schools in Brent local authority, all of which have specialist status. The Government remain committed to the specialist schools programme as a means of raising attainment and achievement for all secondary-age pupils.
| School name | Specialism | Second specialisms | Leading options | Specialist school recurrent funding 2007-08 (£) |
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