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1 Sep 2008 : Column 1599W—continued
Young Offenders
Mr. Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes were committed by juvenile offenders in each year since 1997. [219054]
Mr. Coaker: The information requested is not available from the recorded crime statistics collected by the Home Office.
Young Offenders: Wales
Mr. Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to paragraph 20 of the Youth Crime Action Plan 2008, what meetings have been planned to date with the Welsh Assembly Government to take forward the plan in Wales where appropriate; and whether additional resources will be committed to implementing the action plan in Wales. [220444]
Mr. Coaker: Officials in the three Departments leading on the Youth Crime Action Plan worked with their counterparts in the Welsh Assembly Government to develop the content and proposals in the Action Plan as they apply to Wales. Discussions will be on-going as we consult on and implement the Action Plan. The Government have committed almost £100 million to the Action Plan’s implementation over the next two and a half years, including, where appropriate, its implementation in Wales.
Immigration: Criminal Records
David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances criminal records checks are carried out on (a) EU and (b) non-EU foreign nationals entering the UK. [215366]
Mr. Byrne: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to his question, Immigration: Criminal Records of 8 July 2008, Official Report, column 1445W.
In relation to the circumstances in which criminal records checks are carried out, as my earlier answer stated, our policy is that the documents of all foreign nationals at ports of entry are checked against the Home Office Warnings Index.
Children, Schools and Families
Academies
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) how many academy schools there are in England; [219890]
(2) which local education authority has the highest number of academy schools. [219891]
Jim Knight: There are currently 83 academies open in 49 local authorities with 50 opening in the 2008/09 school year. We plan to open up to a further 80 in 2009 and 100 in 2010 bringing the total to over 310 academies.
There are three local authorities where a total of nine academies are either open or are planned—Kent where there are seven academies open and two are in feasibility; Southwark where there are also seven academies open with one in the implementation stage and one in feasibility; and, Manchester where two academies are already open and a further seven at the feasibility stage.
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of changes in levels of educational attainment resulting from the establishment of academy schools. [219892]
Jim Knight: We use a number of measures to assess the changes in educational attainment in academies.
In 2007, for the 36 academies with underperforming predecessor schools (i.e. not including former City Technology Colleges) the proportion of students gaining five or more GCSE at A*-Cs increased from 22 per cent. in 2001 to 43.7 per cent. in 2007 compared to a national increase of 12.2 points. Including English and Maths the increase is 11.2 percentage points from 14.0 per cent. to 25.2 per cent. compared to a national increase of 7.8 points.
Independent evaluations also recognise this trend. The National Audit Office report of 2007 found that GCSE performance is improving faster in academies than in other types of school. Taking account of students' personal circumstances and their prior attainment, academies’ GCSE performance is substantially better, on average, than other schools. The 2007 PwC report also said that academies’ progress in terms of student
achievement has generally exceeded corresponding Improvements at a national level and amongst similar schools.
Finally, Ofsted have now inspected 24 academies. One academy—Mossbourne—has been graded as outstanding in every single respect. In terms of their overall effectiveness, four have been graded as outstanding, seven good, with the remaining 13 graded as satisfactory. Key to the future success of the academies is their leadership and management. On this indicator, six academies have been graded outstanding, 17 good and one satisfactory. That means that 96 per cent. which have good or outstanding leadership, compared to 62 per cent. for secondary schools in general.
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the effects of academy schools on (a) the primary school sector in the relevant catchment area, (b) the local community and (c) the local economy. [219893]
Jim Knight: We have not made a formal assessment of the effects on local primary schools, local communities and local economies. However, there is anecdotal evidence that academies do have a positive effect in these areas.
Many academies work closely with their feeder primary schools to help raise standards. For example, one sponsor is currently working on a joint programme between two academies and partner primaries, with involvement from the local authority and national strategies. This will involve joint training for primary and academy teachers, targeted interventions for pupils not performing at the expected level in writing, and teachers from year six of the primary schools and year seven of the academies meeting to discuss pupils’ progress and jointly agree targets for individual pupils. We are also supporting 15 academy projects that are all-through schools. In this way the academies will be able to make an impact at an earlier stage of their students’ education.
The PWC Academies Evaluation of 2007 noted that
“Independence appears to have given principals, staff and governors far greater confidence to explore new avenues of funding and new partnerships within the wider community”.
We also have good anecdotal evidence that academies engage with their communities. For example, the Capital City Academy in Brent allows local supplementary schools to use their facilities, their professional library staff have worked closely with their local library service to set up reading events, and they have become central hubs for local sports and arts partnerships. They were recently named the specialist school which had made the greatest positive impact on its local schools. An award supported by their local family of schools.
We would expect academies to have a positive effect on their local economy. A number of academies are sponsored by local employers, and their contribution, alongside the rising standards in academies should lead to a more skilled workforce in local communities.
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many applications for academy school status his Department is considering. [219898]
Jim Knight: The information is as follows:
151 Academy projects are currently at various stages of development. This includes:
78 projects in feasibility
36 projects in implementation; and
39 projects for which a statement of intent has been issued, and which are now working towards the feasibility stage.
Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the cost of his Department’s Academies Unit is (a) per pupil and (b) per year of operation. [220231]
Jim Knight: The budgeted cost of Academies Group in this financial year is £4.5 million. In addition to the 83 academies already open, the Academies Group is actively engaged with developing a large number of academy projects, all of which are at different stages of development. It is therefore not meaningful to calculate a per pupil figure.
Academies: Lancaster
Mr. Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he last met Lancashire county council representatives to discuss academies in Lancaster. [220578]
Jim Knight: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families has not had any meetings with Lancashire county council representatives to discuss academies in Lancaster since the department was created in June 2007.
Academies: Sponsorship
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what minimum criteria academy school sponsors must meet. [219897]
Jim Knight: Sponsors come from a wide range of backgrounds, including universities, educational foundations, businesses, individuals and faith communities. The suitability of sponsors and their ability to make a significant contribution to the academies programme is assessed during the process of brokering a project before an expression of interest is agreed by the Secretary of State.
The Department carries out rigorous checks to establish the suitability of individuals and organisations wishing to become sponsors of academies. These include checking their financial viability to supply the funds pledged as well as their general suitability.
Potential sponsors should be able to demonstrate:
transparency of business arrangements (both in the EU and overseas) and ability to account for funds (including donations from other parties);
evidence of a successful business background including evidence of consistent and sustained trading (where appropriate);
a long-term commitment to the UK education sector and the aims of the academies programme;
potential to run a successful school and to contribute towards raising standards;
ability to enhance the reputation of the academies programme;
ability to promote community cohesion; and
financial status commensurate with academy sponsorship and/or evidence of ability to raise the necessary funds where appropriate.
Mr. Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much funding is required from (a) private sector and (b) university partner sponsors of academy schools. [219899]
Jim Knight: Sponsors of the early academies were required to provide 10 per cent. of the capital costs of a new building, capped at a maximum of £2 million. These sponsorship funds were not payable "up-front", but over the lifetime of a building project.
In 2006, the endowment model of sponsorship was announced. All sponsors are now expected to establish an endowment fund.
A sponsor from the educational sector may bring value to an academy project through their reputation and expertise in the educational field, but have more restricted access to charitable funding. For this reason, sponsors with a successful track record of running educational institutions (including high performing schools and colleges, universities and sponsors of existing academies) are expected to establish an endowment fund, but are not required to commit any specific sum to the endowment.
Other sponsors joining the programme will, as the norm, establish an endowment fund worth £2 million, with a minimum of £500,000 payable in the first year. Payment of the endowment will normally be over five years.
The proceeds of the endowment are spent by the academy trust on measures to counteract the impact of deprivation on education in their local communities.
Arts: Education
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent steps the Government has taken to improve performing arts education in schools. [220600]
Jim Knight:
There are now 494 specialist arts colleges. They are free to choose between the three broad areas of the arts, including the performing arts. They ensure that learning in the arts is marked by creative rigour and discipline, develop the skills of teachers and use new technologies to raise the quality of teaching and learning. They also work with other schools and the local community in sharing facilities and resources to develop learning
opportunities in the arts, through partnerships with creative industries and arts institutions.
Last November we announced unprecedented funding of £332 million specifically for music to 2011—including £82 million per year direct to local authorities ring-fenced for music education. The work we are taking forward in music focuses on participation and performance. Building on this, in February 2008 we announced the “Find Your Talent” programme of 10 pathfinders that will trial ways of providing opportunities for children and young people to have a range of high quality arts and cultural experiences, including playing music or singing in ensembles and taking part in theatre and dance performances. We are also continuing to invest in the Creative Partnerships programme so that it can give more pupils the opportunity to develop creativity in learning by working with creative professionals and cultural organisations, including theatre companies, dance and recording studios and orchestras.
CAFCASS: Finance
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will break down the £108.3 million CAFCASS budget for 2007-08 by category and sub-categories of expenditure. [220760]
Kevin Brennan: The total CAFCASS resource budget (including grant-in-aid) was £108.633 million and expenditure was £108.549 million. Information about expenditure by category is in the CAFCASS Annual Report and Accounts 2007-08 (HC 692) a copy of which is available in the House Library.
Children: Day Care
Mr. Milburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children in Darlington constituency took up free nursery places in the most recent period for which figures are available. [219623]
Beverley Hughes: The available information is shown in the tables.
Table 1 provides information about the part-time equivalent number of free early education places filled by three and four-year-olds in Darlington parliamentary constituency area. Data is provided for 2007 only because parliamentary constituency data are not yet available for 2008.
| Table 1: Part-time equivalent number of free early education places( 1, 2 ) filled by three and four-year-olds Darlington Parliamentary Constituency: Position at January 2007 | ||||||
| Three-year-olds | Four-year-olds | |||||
| maintained nursery and primary schools3 | other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers | total three year olds | maintained nursery and primary schools( 4) | other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers | total four year olds | |
| (1). A place is equal to five or more sessions and can be filled by more than one child. 2 Figures are rounded to the nearest 100 if they exceed 1000 and to the nearest 10 otherwise. (3) Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the School Census. (4) Headcount of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the School Census (5) Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the School Census. (6) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the School Census. | ||||||
Table 2 provides information for 2008 about the part-time equivalent number of free early education
places filled by three and four-year-olds for Darlington local authority area
| Table 2: Part-time equivalent number of free early education places( 1, 2 ) filled by three and four-year-olds , Darlington Local Authority: Position at January 2008 | ||||||
| T hree - year - olds | F our - year - olds | |||||
| maintained nursery and primary schools( 3) | other maintained and private, voluntary and independent providers | total three year olds | maintained nursery and primary schools( 4) | other maintained and private,. voluntary and independent providers | total four year olds | |
| (1) A place is equal to five or more sessions and can be filled by more than one child. (2) Figures are rounded to the nearest 100 if they exceed 1000 and to the nearest 10 otherwise. (3) Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the School Census. (4) Headcount of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the School Census. (5) Part-time equivalent number of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the School Census. (6) Part-time equivalent number of children aged four at 31 December in the previous calendar year from the Early Years Census and the School Census. | ||||||
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