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14 Oct 2008 : Column 1147W—continued
A copy of this reply has been sent to Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Schools and Learners, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of white British boys eligible for free school meals did not achieve (a) any GCSE passes, (b) at least one GCSE pass at grade C or above, (c) at least five GCSEs at A*-C and (d) at least five A*-C GCSEs, including English and mathematics in each year between 2001 and 2008; and if he will make a statement. [225065]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The proportion of white British boys eligible for free school meals who failed to achieve (a) any GCSE passes, (c) at least five GCSEs at A*-C and (d) at least five A*-C GCSEs, including English and Mathematics (2006 and 2007 only), in each year between 2002 and 2007 can be found in the following Statistical First Releases. Prior to 2002, pupil level characteristics information was not collected.
Further information can be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
Schools: Sustainable Development
Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will take steps to (a) require schools to follow more environmentally sustainable practices and (b) monitor levels of environmental sustainability in schools. [226739]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: In May 2006, we published the National Framework for Sustainable schools and set out the ambition that every school becomes a sustainable school by 2020. This is a voluntary framework, rather than a requirement, and covers the broad range of sustainable development matters arising within the curriculum, the campus and the community.
In addition, the majority of schools will be required to display display energy certificates (DECs) providing information about energy use. Schools will also be included in the carbon reduction commitment, a mandatory emissions trading scheme, and be required to supply information on annual energy use to their local authority as part of the local authority count.
Science: Schools
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what materials his Department prohibits the use of during science lessons in schools. [226034]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The DCSF does not specify teaching resources. There is a wide variety of resources available for use in schools and teachers are free to use their professional judgment to select appropriate materials for their science lessons. Any resource should be checked carefully before it is used in the classroom. The Government have issued guidance on materials that are inappropriate for use within science, specifically materials relating to creationism or intelligent design. This guidance is available to schools through teachernet at:
With regard to physical materials, the Consortium of Local Education Authorities for the Provision of Science Services (CLEAPSS) publishes tables of materials which schools can and cannot use in science and suggests appropriate alternatives. Further information can be accessed at the CLEAPSS website at:
Secondary Education: Standards
Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) which 10 local authorities had the highest proportion of secondary schools below the National Challenge target of 30 per cent. of children achieving five or more A* to C GCSEs, including English and mathematics, in (a) 1996, (b) 2007 and (c) 2008; and if he will make a statement; [224667]
(2) what assessment he has made of the reasons for some local authorities to have a large proportion of schools in the National Challenge; and if he will make a statement. [224665]
Jim Knight: The data requested for 1996 and 2007 are provided in the following table. Validated data for 2008 are not yet available.
| Percentage schools | |
|
Local authorities with highest proportion of low-attaining schools in 1996 | |
|
Local authorities with highest proportion of low-attaining schools in 2007 | |
Local authority areas with the highest proportion of secondary schools where fewer than 30 per cent. of pupils attained 5 higher grade GCSEs, including English and mathematics in (a) 1996 (b) 2007.
The comparisons between 1996 and 2007 indicate the substantial success of this Government's policies on school improvement. In 1996, over half of all secondary schools failed to reach the Government's benchmark for the National Challenge, while in 2007 that proportion had fallen to one fifth. This is also reflected in the substantially reduced percentages of low-attaining schools in those authorities with the highest proportions of such schools in 2007 compared with 1996.
The table also illustrates the effectiveness of targeted policies and programmes to improve school standards. In particular, the success of London Challenge is evident, since six of the ten authorities with the highest proportion of low attaining schools in 1996 were in London. In 2007 no London authority features in the list. One of the key principles of the National Challenge is to build more widely on the proven elements of London Challenge.
The 2007 list of authorities is dominated by those with relatively high levels of social deprivation where the potential barriers to learning outside schools are considerable.
The Government's policies, set out in the Children's Plan, are designed to remove such barriers, especially in relation to children's well-being and securing personalised support for all pupils. The National Challenge is a crucial element of the Children's Plan, since it will provide bespoke support to individual schools with relatively low attainment.
Special Educational Needs
Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent changes he has made to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal Regulations; what further changes he plans; what the reasons are for making these changes; and if he will make a statement. [225986]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry:
The Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST) transferred from the Department for Children, Schools and families (the then Department for Education and Skills) to the Ministry of Justice (the then Department for Constitutional Affairs) to form part of the Tribunals Service, an executive
agency of that Department, with effect from 3 April 2006. Responsibility for the regulations governing SENDIST transferred at that time.
The Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 contains provisions for existing tribunals, including SENDIST, to be transferred into a new two-tier structure of a First Tier Tribunal and an Upper Tribunal. It is proposed that SENDIST will move into a Health, Education and Social Care Chamber of the First Tier Tribunal. The Tribunals Service has consulted on the rules for the new Chamber. The Tribunals Procedures Committee is responsible for drafting and amending the rules in the light of this consultation. The overriding principle informing the drafting of the rules is that they must be able to deal with all cases justly and fairly.
Teachers: Foreigners
Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families for what reason foreign teachers able to teach in academy schools are not permitted to teach in other maintained schools. [225999]
Jim Knight: The requirements relating to foreign teacher qualifications are the same for academies and maintained schools.
Academies’ funding agreements require all teachers to be qualified teachers within the meaning of the Education (School Teachers’ Qualifications) (England) Regulations 2003.
The Education (Specified Work and Registration) (England) Regulations 2003 allow overseas trained teachers (OTTs) to teach for four years at maintained schools or academies providing they have successfully completed a teacher training programme in a country outside the EEA and Switzerland which is recognised by the competent authority in that country. They must work towards qualified teacher status (QTS) during this period and OTTs are not allowed to teach beyond four years unless they have been awarded QTS.
Suitably qualified teachers from within the EEA and Switzerland are considered to have Qualified Teacher Status and so may teach in maintained schools and academies.
Teachers: Gender
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of teachers in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools were male in each year since 1997. [225848]
Jim Knight: The proportion of male teachers in each year from 1997 to 2006 can be found in the following table:
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