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11 May 2009 : Column 592W—continued
Science: General Certificate of Secondary Education
Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children in (a) independent schools, (b) comprehensive schools, (c) special schools, (d) pupil referral units and (e) other schools took GCSEs in (i) science, (ii) science and additional science and (iii) separate science subjects in 2008. [262485]
Jim Knight: The requested information is given in the following table:
| N umber of GCSE entries by pupils at the end of KS4 in science subjects, by school-type in 2008 | |||||||
| Subject | (a) Independent( 1) | (b) Comprehensive | (c) Special schools( 2) | (d) Pupil referral Units( 3) | (e) Other schools( 4) | All schools | |
| (1) Independent mainstream schools only. (2) Special schools include independent special schools. (3) Pupil referral units excluding hospital schools. (4) Other schools include selective, modern and other maintained schools. Note: Vocational GCSE entries in Applied Science are not included in this answer. | |||||||
Secondary Education: Coventry
Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent steps the Government has taken to support pupils taking (a) A-level and (b) GCSE examinations in Coventry. [271651]
Jim Knight:
Recent improvements in A-level achievement in Coventry are particularly encouraging. The following
figures(1) show that Coventry pupils’ achievements have improved between 2006(2) and 2008 compared with the average improvement for England, both in terms of the average point score per student at A-level and in the average point score achieved per A-level exam.
(1) Source:
The published Achievement and Attainment Tables 2008.
(2) Comparisons with earlier years are not possible because of changes in the points awarded for particular examinations and grades in 2005/06.
| Average point score per student | Change | Average point score per exam | Change | |||||
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2006 to 2008 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2006 to 2008 | |
We have put in place a programme of work force support in 2009-10 delivered by the Learning and Skills Improvement Service for managers and practitioners in all areas of the country, including Coventry. This includes support aimed at developing examination centres’ understanding of changes to A-levels, and promoting and sharing effective practice between centres.
| Percentage of pupils achieving 5+ A*-C GCSE and 5+ A*-C GCSE including English and maths | ||||||
| Percentage | ||||||
| 1997( 1) | 2008( 2) | |||||
| 5 A*-C | 5 A*-C including English and maths | 5 A*-C | 5 A*-C including English and maths | +/-change (percentage points) since 1997 5 A*-C | +/-change (percentage points) since 1997 5 A*-C including English and maths | |
| (1) 15-year-old pupils. (2) End of key stage 4 pupils. | ||||||
As the table above shows, we have made substantial progress in raising GCSE attainment in secondary schools over the last 10 years. Although the rate of progress in the number of pupils achieving five or more good GCSEs in Coventry has exceeded national rates over the same period, more is needed to reduce the gap in attainment still further. Under the National Challenge, the Department is providing wide-ranging support to eight of the authority’s schools this year. The National Challenge supports schools with the lowest GCSE results, so that by 2011 in every secondary school at least 30 per cent. of students will achieve at least five GCSEs at A*-C including English and maths.
The National Strategies also provides support to schools in Coventry and this includes support and challenge in relation to school improvement, English, maths, science, behaviour and attendance, SEN and ethnic minority achievement. The strategies have also supported the provision and delivery of city-side GCSE English and maths revision courses (held at the Ricoh stadium) for year 11 pupils (April 2009).
Sixth Form Education: Finance
Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which official in his Department was first informed of the contents of the letter of 2 March 2009 from the Learning and Skills Council to school sixth forms and sixth form colleges regarding funding. [274159]
Jim Knight: It is not customary to identify a civil servant by name.
Social Services: Children
Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much each unitary local authority allocated per head of population for children’s services in (a) 2008-09 and (b) 2009-10. [272531]
Jim Knight: The available information on how much was allocated by each unitary local authority for children’s services per head of population in 2008-09 is shown in the table. Information for 2009-10 is currently being collated and validated. It will not be available until later in 2009.
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