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15 Dec 2008 : Column 487W—continued
Children in Care: Free School Meals
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children in care were eligible for free school meals in each of the last five years. [240762]
Beverley Hughes: Data published by the Department as SFR 23/2008: ‘Children looked after in England (including adoption and care leavers) year ending 31 March 2008’, show 47,600 children aged between five and 19 as being looked after by local authorities as at 31 March 2008. The source of this publication is the SSDA903, which does not collect information on whether a child is eligible for free school meals; this information is, however, collected in the School Census which also collects information on whether a child is in care while at their school.
The most recent census data relates to January 2008. The census shows 34,390 pupils aged five to 19 attending primary, secondary and special schools who are classed as being in care as at January 2008. The School Census does not cover all looked after children; information is not collected for pupils in alternative provision, including pupil referral units, FE colleges, voluntary provision
and those not in education or training. These differences in coverage will explain the different counts to an extent, but it is possible that the School Census undercounts the number of looked after children in primary, secondary and special schools.
The information requested has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
Children in Care: GCSE
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) how many children in care did not obtain an (a) C grade or above in any GCSE, (b) C grade or above in mathematics GCSE and (c) C grade or above in English GCSE in 2008; [241721]
(2) what average number of GCSEs was taken by pupils in maintained schools in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area; and how many GCSEs were taken on average by children in care in maintained schools in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority; [241724]
(3) how many boys in care achieved (a) five A* to C passes at GCSE, (b) five A* to C passes at GCSE, including mathematics and English, (c) five A* to C passes at GCSE, including mathematics, English and a science and (d) five A* to C passes at GCSE, including mathematics, English, science and a foreign language in each year since 1997; [241725]
(4) what proportion of white British boys in care 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* to C and (d) at least five A* to C GCSEs, including English and mathematics in each year between 2001 and 2008; [241726]
(5) how many and what percentage of children in care received an A or A* grade in (a) mathematics, (b) English literature, (c) English language, (d) physics, (e) chemistry, (f) biology, (g) French and (h) German GCSE examinations in each of the last five years; [241731]
(6) how many and what proportion of pupils in care did not attain any GCSE grades higher than a D in each year since 1997-98: [241733]
(7) what proportion of white British boys in care achieved (a) no GCSE passes and (b) fewer than five GCSE passes at grade A* to C including English and mathematics in each year since 1995; [241739]
(8) how many and what proportion of (a) pupils in care, (b) pupils not in care and (c) all pupils gained (i) no GCSEs and (ii) fewer than five A* to G grades including English and mathematics at GCSE in each year since 1999; [241506]
(9) what proportion of 15 year olds (a) in care and (b) not in care achieved (i) five GCSEs at A* to C and (ii) five GCSEs at A* to C including English and mathematics in each year since 1997; [241718]
(10) how many pupils in care gained 10 good GCSEs in 2008; [241735]
(11) what proportion of (a) pupils in care and (b) all eligible pupils did not sit five GCSEs or more in 2008; [241741]
(12) what proportion of pupils in care gained five A* to C at GCSE, including English, science, mathematics and a foreign language in each of the last three years. [241742]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The OC2 data collection collects information on a range of outcomes for looked after children from local authorities. This information has been published in the Statistical First Release “Outcome Indicators for Children Looked After, Twelve months to 30 September 2007—England” (SFR 08/2008), which is available on the Department's website via the following link:
Information on attainment in schools at key stage 4 can be found in table C. This shows the following:
number of pupils in year 11,
the number and percentage who sat at least one GCSE or GVNQ,
the number and percentage who achieved at least one GCSE A*-G,
the number who achieved at least five GCSEs at grades A*-G and
the number who achieved at least five GCSEs at grades A*-C.
As the OC2 is an aggregate data collection, these figures cannot be broken down into any further detail for example by subject, number of GCSEs taken, grade, gender or ethnicity.
Information on the attainment of looked after children was first collected in 2000, figures for earlier years are also published on the Department's website and can be found via the following links:
Figures for 2002 to 2004 are available in volume reference (03/2005) here:
Figures for 2000-01 are available in volume reference (DH/VOL(OUT)01) here:
Children in Care: GCE A-level
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) how many pupils in care achieved three A grades at A Level in 2008; and how many pupils in care did not gain a single grade C or above at GCSE in 2008; [241503]
(2) how many boys in care achieved three A grades at A Level in the last year for which figures are available; [241717]
(3) how many 16 to 17 year olds in care attended a sixth form college; [241719]
(4) how many children in care received an A grade in (a) mathematics, (b) physics, (c) chemistry, (d) further mathematics, (e) history, (f) French and (g) German A Level in each of the last five years. [241730]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The OC2 data collection collects information on a range of outcomes for looked after children from local authorities. This information has been published in the Statistical First Release ‘Outcome Indicators for Children Looked After, Twelve months to 30 September 2007—England’ (SFR 08/2008), which is available on the Department's website via the following link:
Information on attainment in schools can be found in tables B and C; however these only cover key stages 1-4. Information on attainment for looked after children aged 16-18 (including the attainment in different subjects) or the number attending sixth form college are not collected centrally by the Department.
Children in Care: Gifted Children
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) how many children who had ever been in care whilst at their present school were in their school's gifted and talented cohort in each of the last five years; [240765]
(2) how many children who had ever been in care whilst at their present school in each local authority were in their school's gifted and talented cohort at the latest date for which information is available. [240766]
Beverley Hughes: Data published by the Department as SFR 23/2008: “Children looked after in England (including adoption and care leavers) year ending 31 March 2008”, shows 47,600 children aged between 5 and 19 as being looked after by local authorities as at 31 March 2008. The source of this publication is the SSDA903, which does not collect information on whether a child is part of their school's gifted and talented cohort. Information on gifted and talented pupils is, however, collected in the School Census which also collects information on whether a child is in care while at their school.
The most recent census data relates to January 2008. The census shows 34,390 pupils aged 5 to 19 attending primary, secondary and special schools who are classed as being in care as at January 2008. The School Census does not cover all looked after children; information is not collected for pupils in alternative provision, including pupil referral units, FE colleges, voluntary provision and those not in education or training. These differences in coverage will explain the different counts to an extent, but it is possible that the School Census undercounts the number of looked after children in primary, secondary and special schools.
The information available has been placed in the House of Commons Library. Information on gifted and talented pupils was first collected for primary and secondary schools in 2007, therefore information for the last five years is not available.
Children in Care: National Curriculum Tests
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of 11 year olds in care achieved level four in English and mathematics at Key Stage 2 in each year since 1997. [241732]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The OC2 data collection collects information on a range of outcomes for looked after children from local authorities. The latest information has been published in the Statistical First Release “Outcome Indicators for Children Looked After, 12 months to 30 September 2007—England” (SFR 08/2008), which is available on the Department’s website via the following link.
This publication contains figures for the period 2005-07.
The latest information on attainment in schools can be found in table B which shows the number eligible to sit KS2 tests and the number and percentage who have achieved at least level 4 in English, mathematics and science.
Information on the attainment of looked after children was first collected in 2000, figures for earlier years are also published on the Department’s website and can be found via the following links:
Figures for 2002-04 are available in volume reference (03/2005) here:
Figures for 2000-01 are available in volume reference (DHA/OL(OUT)01) here:
Children in Care: Oxbridge Admissions
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many young people offered places at either Oxford or Cambridge University in (a) 2006 and (b) 2007 were in care. [241734]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The information requested is not collected centrally by the Department.
Information on children looked after by local authorities is collected through the SSDA903 data collection. This collection includes information on children who are looked after, children who are adopted and children who were looked after and have left care. This information has been published in the Statistical First Release "Children Looked After in England (including adoption and care leavers) year ending 31 March 2008" (SFR 23/2008), which is available on the Department's website via the following link:
Table G1 contains information on children aged 19 who were previously looked after aged 16 and gives details of their activity at aged 19 which includes numbers and percentages in higher education.
Children in Care: Pupil Referral Units
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils in care are attending pupil referral units. [241737]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The information requested is not held centrally by the Department.
Information on looked after children by local authorities is collected via the annual SSDA903 data collection. This collects information on the number of looked after children and their placements but does not collect information on which schools they attend. The school census does collect information on pupils who are in care while at their school but this does not cover all looked after children; information is not collected for pupils in alternative provision, including pupil referral units, FE colleges, voluntary provision and those not in education or training.
Children in Care: Truancy
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils who were children in care took unauthorised absence in the last 12 months, broken down by national curriculum year group. [241723]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The OC2 data collection collects information on a range of outcomes for looked after children from local authorities. This information has been published in the Statistical First Release “Outcome Indicators for Children Looked After, 12 months to 30 September 2007—England” (SFR 08/2008), which is available on the Department's website via the following link:
Information on absence from school can be found in table A which shows the number who missed at least 25 days of school during the previous school year. The OC2 data collection is an aggregate data collection from local authorities and it is therefore not possible to provide this information broken down by national Curriculum year group
Children: Diabetes
Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (1) what recent steps his Department has taken to provide support for children diagnosed with diabetes; and if he will make a statement; [240489]
(2) what steps his Department has taken to ensure that schools provide appropriate support for children diagnosed with diabetes; and if he will make a statement; [241042]
(3) how much his Department has allocated for expenditure on support for children diagnosed with diabetes in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [241072]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Our guidance to schools, ‘Managing Medicines in Schools and Early Years Settings’, issued jointly with the Department of Health in 2005, encourages schools and local authorities to develop policies on the management of pupils’ medicines and on supporting pupils with medical needs; taking account of local resources and their various responsibilities. We also produced sister guidance in the same year, entitled ‘Including me: managing complex health needs in schools and early years settings’.
In April 2007, the Department of Health published a report entitled ‘Making Every Young Person with Diabetes Matter’, and has convened a group to support the implementation of best practice as set out in the report. The Department for Children, Schools and Families is represented on that group.
Also, since September 2007 schools have a duty to promote the well-being of all pupils, including those with long term medical conditions. This duty defines well-being as the five outcomes of Every Child Matters, including being healthy and staying safe.
Central Government allocates funding to local authorities based on need in their area. They then agree with their schools how funding is to be delegated. Therefore we do
not dictate how much individual schools and local authorities are to spend on support for children diagnosed with diabetes.
Children: Protection
Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families in which month he expects Lord Laming to submit his report on progress in implementing effective arrangements for safeguarding children. [241036]
Beverley Hughes: Lord Laming will be submitting his report to Ministers by the end of February 2009.
Departmental Disabled Staff
Mr. Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what conclusions his Department has reached in fulfilment of its duty under section 3.111 of the statutory code of practice of the disability equality duty. [240990]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry: DCSF's first Single Equality Scheme was published in December 2007. An update to this scheme was published online in December 2008. Summaries and conclusions of the steps taken to fulfil the obligations to the disability equality duty were included within this update.
DCSF's Single Equality Scheme can be found on the Department's website at:
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/publications/des/docs/single equalityscheme.doc.
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