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15 July 2008 : Column 397W—continued
Teachers: Vacancies
John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many (a) primary and (b) secondary school teacher vacancies there were in (i) Leeds West constituency, (ii) Leeds Metropolitan District and (iii) England in each of the last five years. [218029]
Jim Knight: Information is available for teacher vacancies for individual local authorities but not by constituency. The following table provides the number of full-time vacancies in Leeds local authority and England for each year from 2003 to 2008 where available. Vacancy numbers and rates for 2008 by local authority, including Leeds, are expected to be published in September.
| Full-time vacancies( 1) in local authority maintained nursery/primary and secondary schools, January of each year: Coverage—England and Leeds local authority years 2003-08 | ||||
| Leeds LA | England | |||
| Nursery/ Primary | Secondary | Nursery/Primary | Secondary | |
| (1) Advertised vacancies for full-time permanent appointments (or appointments of at least one terms duration). Includes vacancies being filled on a temporary basis by a teacher with a contract of less than one term. (2) Provisional. (3) Not available. Note: Excludes city technology colleges and academies. Source: Annual survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies, 618g | ||||
Truancy: Gloucestershire
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the percentage was of pupils in secondary education in Gloucestershire was classed as persistent absentees in each year for which figures are available, broken down by school. [217715]
Kevin Brennan: The first year for which information on persistent absentees is available relates to 2005/06 and covers secondary schools only. In 2006/07 the scope of collection also extended to primary and special schools.
Local level information on the percentage of persistent absentees in secondary schools in 2005/06 and 2006/07 has been published in Table 7.2 of the Statistical First Release: Pupil Absence in Schools in England at
School level absence data are published as part of the Achievement and Attainment Tables, which can be found at
However, the inclusion of a persistence absence rate is a new indicator that will be available in 2008 tables.
The requested information for 2005/06 and 2006/07 could be provided only at disproportionate costs.
Writing
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what guidance his Department has issued on the teaching of handwriting in the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [217686]
Jim Knight: Through the National Strategies this Department has produced the following guidance on handwriting for schools in the last five years:
Support materials—Developing Early Writing May 2001—have been provided to schools. Additional materials will be provided in January 2009 to schools which link spelling and handwriting.
Primary Framework October 2006: A strand of the Primary Framework for Literacy is dedicated to presentation skills, including handwriting. This provides objectives for every year group from Reception to Year 6.
Letters and Sounds April 2007: Our phonics resource, Letters and Sounds, contains general guidance on the teaching of handwriting to young children.
The primary framework assessment section—January 2008—also contains exemplification of writing through Levels 2-5.
These materials are for guidance and how to teach handwriting, including when to introduce a joined-up script, remains a school based decision. There is no nationally prescribed scheme and no requirement to teach a particular style or script.
Youth Services: Advisory Bodies
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will place in the Library a copy of the protocol for joint working on the Youth Board, developed by his Department and the Ministry of Justice. [217056]
Beverley Hughes: The Machinery of Government changes in June 2007 gave the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Ministry of Justice joint responsibility for youth justice. The Management Statement and Financial Memorandum, which sets out the framework within which the Youth Justice Board and the Departments will operate, is being redrafted. A copy will be placed in the House Library when it is available.
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