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14 Oct 2008 : Column 1134W—continued
There is no contradiction between a school being an Extra Mile school or partner school and being below the 30 per cent. threshold. The Government want all schools to achieve a good standard of education for their pupils, which is why we launched the National Challenge to give extra support to schools currently below this threshold. Many of these are improving schools serving very disadvantaged communities, so they are well-placed to share their experiences with schools facing similar challenges. It would be unrealistic to partner an Extra Mile school with a school serving a very different type of community.
£400 million is available to support National Challenge schools over the next three years. This includes £200 million announced in the 2008 budget for National Challenge plus an additional £200 million identified from existing resources. The Government hope that many of these schools will rise above the 30 per cent. floor target when the 2008 results are known.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the number of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools offering the core set of extended services; and if he will make a statement. [225854]
Beverley Hughes: As of 30 September 2008, there were over 10,900 (64 per cent.) primary schools and over 2,400 (72 per cent.) secondary schools providing access to the core offer of extended services.
This shows we are making good progress towards our 2010 target and behind this there are many other schools which are already providing individual parts of the core offer that are not yet included in these figures. Monthly variations can occur, resulting in figures going down as well as up, for example as a result of local school reorganisations.
Schools: Assessments
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what steps he is taking to ensure that all those who were approved to mark standard assessment test papers in 2008 but who received no scripts to mark will receive the compensation payment of £250 from ETS; and if he will make a statement; [225036]
(2) how many markers of national key stage tests in 2008 (a) have received and (b) are yet to receive compensation payments because they did not receive any scripts; by what date he expects all such markers to have received compensation payments; what the reason is for the time taken to pay compensation; and if he will make a statement. [225091]
Jim Knight: The National Assessment Agency manages the contract for ETS Europe, which is responsible for all marker contracting and payments for the 2008 test cycle. NAA has confirmed that they have received written assurance from ETS that they will resolve all marker queries or complaints regarding pay as part of the plan for contract closure.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families by what date he expects the contracts for administration of the 2009 key stage tests to be agreed; and if he will make a statement. [225169]
Jim Knight: The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority advise that they expect the procurement process for suppliers to administer the 2009 key stage tests to be complete by December 2008.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment his Department has made of the reliability of the marking of key stage 2 and 3 tests in 2008; on the basis of what information that assessment was made; and if he will make a statement. [225170]
Jim Knight: It is the responsibility of the Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator (Ofqual) to advise on the quality of marking in this year’s key stage 2 and 3 national curriculum tests. Ofqual have said that on the basis of the evidence they saw, they conclude that the quality of marking is at least as good as in previous years. However, it will not be possible to draw robust conclusions about the quality and reliability of marking until we have received full information from this year’s reviews process, which Ofqual is continuing to monitor.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many requests for marking reviews of (a) key stage 2 and (b) key stage 3 tests were received in each year from 2002 to 2007; what proportion of these requests resulted in a change of mark; and if he will make a statement. [225171]
Jim Knight: Tables 1 and 2 as follows show how many requests were received, since 2004, for a marking review of Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 national curriculum tests, and what proportion of the requests resulted in a level change.
Data for the period 2001-03 are not available in the format requested.
The figures in the tables were provided by the National Assessment Agency (NAA), which is responsible for the administration of national curriculum tests including the external marking and group reviews service to schools.
| Table 2 | ||||||||||||
| Reviews requested (pupils) | Reviews resulting in a lower level (pupil) | Reviews resulting in an increase in level (pupil) | ||||||||||
| Reviews | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 200 7 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 200 7 |
| (1) Group reviews in mathematics and science were not conducted until 2005 | ||||||||||||
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