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Schools: Biometrics

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent assessment his Department has made of the effects of the use of biometrics in schools; and if he will make a statement. [277064]

Jim Knight: The information requested is not collected; it is a school level decision to implement biometric systems.

Schools: Capital Investment

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many additional jobs his Department expects to be created by bringing forward its capital expenditure for school building projects in the next 12 months. [249118]

Jim Knight: A tentative estimate of the number of jobs that will be created in 2009-10 is 10,000.

Schools: Complaints

Mr. Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many complaints have been made about schools to Ofsted by parents in each of the last two years; how many of those were investigated; and if he will make a statement. [273417]

Jim Knight [holding answer 7 May 2009]: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the House Libraries.

Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 20 May 2009:


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Table A: Complaints about schools made to Ofsted, April 2007 to March 2009
Year Total written complaints about schools Those concerning safeguarding issues( 1) Those qualifying for consideration under Ofsted's powers of investigation( 2) Those retained for the lead inspector for the next scheduled inspection( 3) Those leading to an immediate inspection Those leading to the next scheduled inspection being brought forward

27 April 2007 to 4 April 2008

1,196

18

142

86

1

1

4 April 2008 to 31 March 2009

1,345

15

15

6

1

1

(1) These complaints concerned safeguarding issues and were sent to Ofsted's safeguarding teams for further consideration.
(2) The main reasons for complaints not qualifying are that complainants have either failed to exhaust local complaints procedures, or the complaint does not fall within the areas covered by Ofsted's school inspection remit. Ofsted responds to such complaints with advice on resolving their concerns through more appropriate authorities.
(3) Ofsted considers all qualifying complaints. In the first instance, Ofsted may investigate by contacting the school or local authority, as well as consider the school's self-evaluation form, performance data, and their last inspection report. At this point, we are normally able to determine what action should be taken, which may lead to an inspection of the school or the information being retained for the next scheduled inspection. Alternatively, we may further investigate the issue raised by the complaint, which may include requiring the school or local authority to provide information relevant to the complaint or to hold a meeting of parents. We may also formally refer the complaint to the school or local authority.

Schools: Inspections

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the cost of inspections of (a) schools and (b) nurseries and other pre-school provision was in each of the last 12 years. [274583]

Jim Knight: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the House Libraries.

Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 20 May 2009:


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Table A: Ofsted's expenditure on inspection of schools and inspection and regulation of nurseries and other pre-school provision
£ million
Year Total cost of school inspection( 1) Total cost of inspection and regulation of nurseries and other pre-school provision

1997-98

n/a

0.0

1998-99

n/a

0.0

1999-2000

n/a

0.0

2000-01

n/a

0.0

2001-02

n/a

48.5

2002-03

n/a

80.1

2003-04

106.6

79.6

2004-05(2)

101.0

92.9

2005-06

106.1

88.4

2006-07(3)

100.6

61.4

2007-08(4)

77.7

63.1

(1) The total cost of school inspection includes the costs of inspecting ‘nursery schools’, that is maintained schools for children of nursery age, inspected under the current school inspection framework (commonly known as section 5). Children of nursery age may also attend childcare provision, within the categories of ‘childcare on domestic premises’ and ‘childcare on non-domestic premises’, such as a private day nursery. The costs of inspecting and regulating these providers are included in the totals relating to nurseries and other pre-school provision.
(2) In the financial year 2005-06, Ofsted used an improved method for calculating total costs of inspection and regulation. The 2004-05 figures above are the recalculated figures based on this new method.
(3) Between the financial years 2004-05 and 2006-07 Ofsted established a new regional structure, rationalising the support for inspections within three regional offices. These changes led to substantial reduction in the cost of inspection and regulation activity.
(4) Ofsted recently performed a more detailed, comprehensive and robust analysis of Ofsted's 2007-08 financial accounts to identify the cost of the inspection of schools, and the inspection and regulation of nurseries and pre-school provision. We have used information from this analysis to complete the table above. In the absence of such an analysis for previous years, it is not possible to make a consistent comparison between years.

Schools: Repairs and Maintenance

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average length of time was between the identification of a school for (a) rebuilding and (b) refurbishment and the completion of the project in the last five years in respect of (i) academies, (ii) primary schools, (iii) schools under the Building Schools for the Future programme and (iv) other secondary schools. [271771]

Jim Knight: Academies built through the Building Schools for the Future Programme (BSF) will follow a timeline similar to the average for that programme. The time taken for academies built through the traditional procurement model varies depending on the nature of the project. We do not hold precise data centrally and it would exceed the cost threshold to compile.

The average procurement time to completion for new or replacement schools in BSF has been 176 weeks. This includes the time in procuring authorities' private sector partners, Local Education Partnerships, each of which is responsible for rebuilding or refurbishing a package of several schools. Partnerships for Schools expect times to reduce, following changes in the procurement process.

The BSF Procurement Review, the outcome of a major consultation exercise with stakeholders including local authorities, contractors, industry groups and the design community, promises savings of up to £250 million across the national programme.

It will also make this part of the BSF process more timely, streamlined and efficient, reducing procurement times by up to two months.

The Department does not hold information on procurement times for other secondary schools, nor for primary schools.

Schools: Standards

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which schools were given a rating of (a) inadequate and (b) satisfactory for behaviour in their last Ofsted inspection; and what the date of each such inspection was. [274587]

Jim Knight: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the House Libraries.


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Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which schools were rated (a) inadequate in their latest Ofsted inspection and either inadequate or satisfactory in the inspection before that and (b) satisfactory in their latest inspection and either inadequate or satisfactory in the inspection before that. [274589]

Jim Knight: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the House Libraries.

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of pupils in each local authority area attended (a) primary and (b) secondary schools which were in special measures in each of the last five years. [274901]

Jim Knight: This is a matter for Ofsted. HMCI Christine Gilbert will be replying and a copy of her letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which schools have been in special measures (a) twice, (b) three times and (c) more than three times in the last 12 years. [275808]

Jim Knight: This is a matter for Ofsted. HMCI Christine Gilbert will be replying and a copy of her letter will be placed in the Library of both Houses.

Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 22 May 2009:


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