3 Apr 2008 : Column 1234W—continued
Curriculum
Mr. Hoban:
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the (a) average and (b) recommended number of hours per week spent on (i) mathematics, (ii) English, (iii) science, (iv) modern languages and (v) history and geography was for school children in each school year in each of the last 10 years. [196648]
Jim Knight:
The statutory National Curriculum Programmes of Study set out what is to be taught in each subject, not how it is to be taught, nor for how many hours each week. The Department does not recommend, nor does it collect data on, the average number of hours spent each week teaching mathematics, English, science, modern foreign languages, history and geography.
However, through the Secondary Schools’ Curriculum and Staffing Survey (SSCSS), we have data available for 1996 and for 2002 on the average number of standardised periods studied by pupils in year groups 7 to 11 in named subjects. The results are set out in the annex and are taken from the ‘Statistical First Release 25/2003, Secondary Schools Curriculum and Staffing Survey: November 2002 (Provisional)’. The SSCSS is an occasional sample survey carried out every four to six years and it does not provide comprehensive time series data.
| Table 4: Average number of standardised periods( 1) studied by pupils( 2) in year groups 7 to 11 in named subjects (revised)—England |
| Standardised periods( 1) |
| | Year group |
| | 7 | 8 |
| | 1996 | 2002 | | 1996 | 2002 | |
| Subject | Average | ± | Average | ± | Change( 3) | Average | ± | Average | ± | Change( 3) |
|
Mathematics
|
5
|
0.1
|
5
|
0.1
|
0
|
5
|
0.1
|
5
|
0.1
|
0
|
|
English
|
5
|
0.1
|
5
|
0.2
|
0
|
5
|
0.1
|
5
|
0.1
|
0
|
|
Combined/ General Science
|
5
|
0.1
|
5
|
0.1
|
0
|
5
|
0.1
|
5
|
0.1
|
0
|
3 Apr 2008 : Column 1235W
3 Apr 2008 : Column 1236W
|
Biology
|
2
|
0.1
|
2
|
0.0
|
-1
|
2
|
0.1
|
2
|
0.0
|
0
|
|
Chemistry
|
2
|
0.0
|
2
|
0.0
|
0
|
2
|
0.0
|
2
|
0.0
|
0
|
|
Physics
|
2
|
0.0
|
2
|
0.0
|
0
|
2
|
0.0
|
2
|
0.0
|
0
|
|
Other Sciences
|
3
|
0.2
|
5
|
0.0
|
1
|
4
|
0.2
|
5
|
0.0
|
1
|
|
French
|
4
|
0.1
|
4
|
0.1
|
0
|
4
|
0.1
|
3
|
0.1
|
0
|
|
German
|
4
|
0.6
|
3
|
0.1
|
0
|
3
|
0.6
|
3
|
0.1
|
0
|
|
Spanish
|
4
|
0.6
|
3
|
0.1
|
0
|
3
|
0.6
|
3
|
0.1
|
0
|
|
Other Modern Languages
|
4
|
0.4
|
3
|
0.1
|
-1
|
4
|
0.4
|
3
|
0.1
|
0
|
|
Design and Technology
|
3
|
0.1
|
3
|
0.1
|
0
|
3
|
0.1
|
3
|
0.1
|
0
|
|
Information & Communication Technology
|
1
|
0.1
|
1
|
0.0
|
0
|
1
|
0.1
|
1
|
0.0
|
0
|
|
Other/Combined Technology
|
4
|
0.4
|
3
|
0.1
|
0
|
3
|
0.4
|
3
|
0.1
|
0
|
|
Home Economics(2)
|
2
|
0.4
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
2
|
0.4
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
|
Business Studies
|
1
|
0.0
|
1
|
0.0
|
0
|
1
|
0.0
|
1
|
0.0
|
0
|
|
Classics
|
1
|
0.0
|
2
|
0.0
|
1
|
2
|
0.0
|
2
|
0.0
|
0
|
|
History
|
3
|
0.1
|
2
|
0.1
|
0
|
3
|
0.1
|
3
|
0.1
|
0
|
|
Religious Education
|
2
|
0.1
|
2
|
0.1
|
0
|
2
|
0.1
|
2
|
0.1
|
0
|
|
Geography
|
3
|
0.1
|
2
|
0.1
|
0
|
3
|
0.1
|
3
|
0.1
|
0
|
|
Other Social Studies
|
1
|
0.0
|
2
|
0.0
|
1
|
2
|
0.0
|
1
|
0.0
|
-1
|
|
Combined Arts/Humanities/Social Studies
|
4
|
0.5
|
6
|
1.2
|
0
|
4
|
0.5
|
6
|
0.4
|
1
|
|
Music
|
2
|
0.1
|
2
|
0.1
|
0
|
2
|
0.1
|
2
|
0.0
|
0
|
|
Drama
|
2
|
0.1
|
1
|
0.1
|
0
|
2
|
0.1
|
1
|
0.0
|
0
|
|
Art and Design
|
2
|
0.1
|
2
|
0.1
|
0
|
2
|
0.1
|
2
|
0.0
|
0
|
|
Physical Education
|
3
|
0.1
|
3
|
0.1
|
0
|
3
|
0.1
|
3
|
0.1
|
0
|
|
Careers Education
|
1
|
0.0
|
1
|
0.0
|
0
|
2
|
0.0
|
1
|
0.0
|
0
|
|
Personal, Social and Health Education
|
2
|
0.1
|
1
|
0.2
|
0
|
2
|
0.1
|
1
|
0.2
|
0
|
|
General Studies
|
2
|
0.1
|
2
|
0.0
|
0
|
2
|
0.1
|
2
|
0.0
|
0
|
|
Citizenship
|
—
|
—
|
2
|
0.6
|
—
|
—
|
—
|
2
|
0.5
|
—
|
|
Other Subjects Not Covered Above(5)
|
3
|
0.7
|
2
|
2.7
|
0
|
3
|
0.7
|
2
|
3.2
|
0
|
