Lembit Öpik:
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the likely effects on levels of attainment in science subjects by children at secondary level of the proposal of the Rose Review to replace science as a core subject in primary schools; and if he will make a statement. [284011]
Ms Diana R. Johnson:
We have not made a formal assessment of the implications for levels of attainment in science subjects for secondary pupils of the proposed revisions to the primary curriculum.
In the proposals for the new primary curriculum subjects will no longer be designated as core and foundation. The essential knowledge, skills and understanding of science are all included within the 'scientific and technological understanding' area of learning. The Rose Review Team worked closely with the science community to ensure that this area of learning contains the scientific knowledge, skills and understanding they consider is essential for children aged 5-11 to learn.
The Government remain committed to encouraging the take up of science subjects at GCSE and beyond. The new pupil guarantee in the White Paper will ensure that every pupil understands that they have, and are encouraged to take up, the opportunity to study at least two science GCSEs and those who would benefit from a more stretching science curriculum have the opportunity to study triple science GCSE (physics, chemistry and biology).
14 July 2009 : Column 299W
Secondary Education: Gifted Children
Andrew Stunell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of (a) primary and (b) secondary school pupils in (i) each local authority area in the North West and (ii) England are on gifted and talented programmes. [285376]
Ms Diana R. Johnson:
The Department does not collect data on which pupils in schools are on gifted and talented programmes. Through the School Census schools are asked to confirm the gifted and talented pupils they have identified. In the summer 2008 Census, 95 per cent. of secondary schools and 78 per cent. of primary schools nationally confirmed they were identifying gifted and talented pupils. The comparable figures for North West were 94 per cent. and 76 per cent. respectively.
The following table shows the number and proportion of gifted and talented pupils attending primary and secondary schools in the local authorities in the North West and England.
Maintained primary schools( 1)
Maintained secondary schools( 1,5)
Number of gifted and talented pupils( 2)
Percentage of gifted and talented pupils( 4)
Number of gifted and talented pupils( 2)
Percentage of gifted and talented pupils( 4)
England(3)
347,400
8.4
454,770
14.2
North West(3)
48,610
8.3
56,590
12.9
Blackburn with Darwen
865
6.0
1,046
11.0
Blackpool
975
8.5
820
9.8
Bolton
1,424
5.6
2,410
12.7
Bury
279
1.7
1,503
13.2
Cheshire
4,484
8.5
6,827
15.2
Cumbria
2,462
6.3
3,594
10.4
Halton
536
5.3
1,109
14.4
Knowsley
1,086
7.3
670
8.0
Lancashire
11,896
13.1
10,668
15.0
Liverpool
2,586
7.0
3,753
12.9
Manchester
4,037
9.9
3,138
14.0
Oldham
868
3.7
1,616
10.1
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Rochdale
1,185
6.0
1,110
8.8
Salford
869
4.6
1,156
10.8
Sefton
1,954
8.7
2,208
11.4
St. Helens
1,811
12.0
1,224
11.0
Stockport
1,556
6.9
1,677
11.4
Tameside
2,014
10.2
2,236
14.9
Trafford
873
4.5
1,985
12.2
Warrington
1,649
9.5
2,194
16.1
Wigan
2,461
9.6
2,550
12.7
Wirral
2,763
10.8
3,096
13.4
(1) Includes middle schools as deemed primary/secondary. (2) Includes pupils with sole and dual (main) registration. (3) National figures have been rounded to the nearest 10. (4) The number of gifted and talented pupils expressed as a percentage of the total number of pupils. (5) Excludes academies. Source:
School Census summer 2008.
Secondary Education: School Choice
Michael Gove:
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of parents in each local authority were offered (a) their fourth preference, (b) their fifth preference, (c) their sixth preference and (d) none of their preferences for secondary school in the last year for which data are available. [260867]
Ms Diana R. Johnson [holding answer 5 March 2009]: The following table contains the information requested and is derived from data collected on National Offer day in March 2009.
Where parents did not receive an offer on National Offer day, this is likely to be because the local authority is giving them a further opportunity to express preferences for schools with vacant places or because they did not require an alternative offer if a place was not available at their preferred school e.g. in authorities with mixed two and three-tier schools systems, parents of children at middle schools may apply for a secondary school place, but choose to remain at the middle school if a place is not available at their preferred secondary school.
Number
Percentage
Local authority
Applications received from parents of children resident in the local authority area
Preferences offered by the local authority
Applicants receiving an offer for their fourth preference school
Applicants receiving an offer for their fifth preference school
Applicants receiving an offer for their sixth preference school
Applicants without an offer corresponding to any preference
