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12 Jan 2009 : Column 11W—continued

Faith Schools

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools he and his predecessors have designated as being of a religious character in each of the last 10 years. [245852]

Jim Knight: The following table shows the number of brand new maintained faith schools that have opened in each of the last 10 years. All faith schools are designated as having a religious character under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 and the Religious Character of schools (Designation Procedure) Regulations 1998.


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Number of new faith schools

1998

3

1999

6

2000

3

2001

6

2002

10

2003

10

2004

14

2005

12

2006

7

2007

7

2008

6

Total

84


These figures include former independent faith schools that have joined the maintained sector. They do not include new faith schools resulting from schools amalgamating or faith infant and junior schools amalgamating to be replaced by a primary school.

General Certificate of Secondary Education

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children in (a) Bedfordshire, (b) South Bedfordshire and (c) South West Bedfordshire constituency took one or more science GCSE in the latest year for which figures are available. [244067]

Jim Knight: The requested information is given in the following table for GCSE science entries in 2008:

Total number of pupils at the end of KS4 entered for GCSE Science

Bedfordshire

4,683

South Bedfordshire

1,364

South West Bedfordshire

1,099

Note: The data is provisional and subject to change.

Health Education: Skin Piercing

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will take steps to encourage schools to educate children and young people on the issues surrounding body piercing, with particular reference to the risk of infection. [244111]

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Pupils learn to assess and manage the element of risk in personal choices and situations as part of the Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education. The programme of study focuses on teaching children and young people the skills to recognise risk, minimise harm and to make choices and decisions in a range of contexts, based on accurate information obtained through their own research. Schools may use topics such as body piercing to illustrate and develop the skills needed to deal with risky behaviour.

Higher Education: Finance

Dr. Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps the Government plan to take to increase funding for university (a) research and (b) staff costs. [245809]

Mr. Lammy: I have been asked to reply.

Funding for higher education has increased by 24 per cent. in real terms since 1997 and will have increased by some 30 per cent. by 2010, with higher education research
12 Jan 2009 : Column 13W
funding set to rise to £1.9 billion by 2010-11 in addition to the funding that universities secure from research councils. Funding for staff and other costs are for universities to determine in the light of the overall level of resources available to them and the need to take sustainable decisions.

Intellectual Property Review

Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when his Department plans to take forward recommendation 36 of the Gowers Review and match penalties for online and physical infringement of copyright. [245151]

Mr. Lammy: I have been asked to reply.

Penalties for criminal copyright infringement must be proportionate to the harm caused to UK industries, so that they act as an effective deterrent. We have recently (31 October) completed a consultation on introducing exceptional summary maxima (above £5,000) in the magistrates courts for offences of online and physical copyright infringement.

Islam and Citizenship Education

Mr. Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families in how many mosque schools the Islam and citizenship education programme is being piloted; in which cities these schools are located; how the pilot will be evaluated; and when he expects the programme to be rolled out nationally. [245536]

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Islam and citizenship education project is being piloted in 30 mosque schools in London, Bristol, Leicester, Bradford/Kirklees and Oldham/Rochdale. The Institute of Community Cohesion has been commissioned to evaluate the project. The
12 Jan 2009 : Column 14W
draft lessons are freely available online to all mosque schools and will be updated in April 2009 following the end of piloting.

Languages: GCSE

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families in how many comprehensive schools 50 per cent. or more of pupils achieved a modern languages GCSE at grade A* to C in 2007. [240883]

Jim Knight: In 278 comprehensive schools(1) 50 per cent. or more of the pupils achieved a modern language GCSE at A* to C in 2007.

The data were taken from the 2007 Achievement and Attainment Tables.

National Curriculum Tests

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what marks were required in Key Stage 2 tests in (a) English and (b) mathematics to achieve a level (i) 4 and (ii) 5 in (A) 1999, (B) 2006, (C) 2007 and (D) 2008. [241851]

Jim Knight: The National Assessment Agency (NAA) is responsible for administering national curriculum tests. The NAA has provided the following table of marks required in Key Stage 2 English and mathematics tests to achieve Level 4 and 5. NAA uses a range of statistical and judgmental procedures to ensure that the standards of performance required for the award of each level are maintained consistently from year to year. The content of each test changes every year, therefore different numbers of marks may be required in different years to achieve a certain level. Levels are anchored to the National Curriculum so that a level 4 achieved in one year represents the same level of performance as a level 4 achieved in any other year.

(a) KS2 English (b) KS2 Maths
(i) Level 4 (ii) Level 5 (i) Level 4 (ii) Level 5

Reading Writing Overall Reading Writing Overall

(A)

1999

17

31

48

31

39

70

52

80

(B)

2006

18

25

43

33

37

70

46

78

(C)

2007

18

25

43

33

37

70

46

79

(D)

2008

18

25

43

32

37

69

45

78


Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he expects a decision to be made on a replacement contractor for next year's key stage tests; and if he will make a statement. [245440]

Jim Knight: The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) announced Edexcel as its preferred bidder for the one-year contract to deliver key stage 2 national curriculum tests for 2009 on 15 December 2008.

Pre-school Education

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many five-year-olds did not start formal education until the autumn term in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement. [244531]

Jim Knight: The requested information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Pupil Exclusions: Special Educational Needs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of fixed period exclusions were given to pupils (a) with special educational needs and (b) who were children in care in (i) secondary and (ii) primary schools in each year since 1997. [241715]


12 Jan 2009 : Column 15W

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Data on the number of pupils with fixed period exclusions was collected for the first time for the school year 2003/04, therefore data can only be provided for the last four school years. Information on the number of fixed period exclusions given to pupils with special educational needs is shown in the table.

Analysis of the number of exclusions of children on the school census, who were in-care at the time of the
12 Jan 2009 : Column 16W
exclusion would incur disproportionate cost. The number of permanent exclusions of looked after children is however provided by the Department’s Outcome Indicators for Looked After Children collection (OC2), which is available at

This collection does not cover fixed period collections.

Primary and state funded secondary schools( 1,2) : Number and proportion of fixed period exclusions by special educational needs( 3) —2003/04 to 2006/07( 4,5) —England
Maintained primary schools State funded secondary schools( 2)

Number of exclusions Percentage of fixed period exclusions( 6) Number of exclusions Percentage of fixed period exclusions( 6)

2003/04( 4)

Pupils with statements of SEN

5,610

13.6

20,430

7.1

Pupils without statements of SEN(7)

35,690

86.4

267,600

92.9

O f which:

Pupils with SEN without statements

23,490

56.9

109,410

38.0

Pupils with no SEN

12,200

29.5

158,190

54.9

All pupils(8)

41,290

100.0

288,050

100.0

2004/05( 4)

Pupils with statements of SEN

5,730

13.1

21,980

6.7

Pupils without statements of SEN(7)

37,990

86.9

307,700

93.3

O f which:

Pupils with SEN without statements

24,860

56.9

124,980

37.9

Pupils with no SEN

13,130

30.0

182,710

55.4

All pupils(9)

43,720

100.0

329,680

100.0

2005/06( 4,5)

Pupils with statements of SEN

n/a

n/a

23,560

6.8

Pupils without statements of SEN(7)

n/a

n/a

324,750

93.2

O f which:

Pupils with SEN without statements

n/a

n/a

166,640

47.8

Pupils with no SEN

n/a

n/a

158,120

45.4

All pupils(10)

n/a

n/a

348,310

100.0

2006/07( 4)

Pupils with statements of SEN

6,240

13.6

23,660

6.5

Pupils without statements of SEN(7)

39,470

86.3

339,530

93.5

O f which:

Pupils with SEN without statements

30,690

67.1

179,160

49.3

Pupils with no SEN

8,780

19.2

160,370

44.1

All pupils(11)

45,730

100.0

363,270

100.0

n/a = Not available
(1) Includes middle schools as deemed.
(2) Includes both CTCs and academies.
(3) The number of fixed period exclusions per SEN type expressed as a percentage of all fixed period exclusions per school type.
(4) In 2003/04, information on fixed period exclusions was collected for the first time via the Termly Exclusions Survey.
(5) For the 2005/06 school year, only information on fixed period exclusions from secondary schools was available.
(6) The number of fixed period exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number (headcount) of all pupils (excluding dually registered pupils) in January each year.
(7) Includes pupils with no identified SEN and those pupils with SEN without statements.
(8) Totals include 12 fixed period exclusions for which SEN status was not known. These have been included in the total column only.
(9) Totals include two fixed period exclusions for which SEN status was not known. These have been included in the total column only.
(10) Totals include 48 fixed period exclusions for which SEN status was not known. These have been included in the total column only.
(11) Totals include 140 fixed period exclusions for which SEN status was not known. These have been included in the total column only.
Note:
Totals may not appear to equal the sum of component parts because numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.
Source:
School Census

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