Secondary Education: Gifted Children
Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2012, Official Report, column 12W, on secondary education: gifted children, what statistics his Department maintains on the number and proportion of schools who identify pupils for the Gifted and Talented programme. [92382]
Mr Gibb: The Gifted and Talented (G and T) programme ended on 31 March 2010. The Department no longer maintains data on the programme.
The G and T ‘flag’ which formed part of the annual school census from 2007 has been removed from the January 2012 census. There was no requirement for schools to use this ‘flag’ and it was for schools to decide what—if any—additional or more tailored support was appropriate for their G and T pupils.
The last data that we hold are from the January 2011 school census. This shows that the number and proportion of schools which identified at least one G and T pupil was:
15,045 (89.1%) for state-funded primary schools
3,243 (98.0%) for state-funded secondary schools
Although this particular ‘flag’ has been removed from the census, we are publishing much more data than ever before about the progress of high attaining pupils. The information in the recently published performance tables shows, for the first time, the progression of groups of pupils with different levels of attainment, so parents and others can see how children of different abilities are catered for.
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Teachers: Pay
Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the average salary was of a teacher in (a) England, (b) Kent and (c) Dartford in the last year for which figures are available. [92143]
Mr Gibb: The following table provides the average salary for full-time qualified teachers in service in publicly funded schools in England, Kent local authority and Dartford parliamentary constituency in November 2010, the latest information available.
| Average salary of full-time qualified teachers (1) in service in publicly funded schools. Year: November 2010. Coverage: England, Kent local authority and Dartford constituency | |
| Average salary (£) | |
| (1) Includes full time qualified leadership and classroom grades. Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest £10. Source: School Workforce Census | |
Third Sector
Mr Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what contribution his Department is making to implementation of the Compact with the voluntary sector; and if he will make a statement. [92290]
Sarah Teather: The Department for Education signed up to the renewed Compact published in December 2010, and recognises both the benefits and the importance of the Compact to its relationship with the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector.
Over the last year, the Department for Education has taken a number of actions to ensure the Compact is being implemented, including:
Monitoring consultation lengths to ensure consultations with the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector (VCSE) are 12 weeks where possible;
Incorporating the Compact into its internal guidance on matters such as the Making Policy Framework, and its Compact compliant guidance for staff to consider when entering into a grant funded relationship with the VCSE sector;
Monitoring departmental Compact compliance, via the number of complaints received about the implementation of the Compact;
Participating in the NAO's review of the National Compact implementation;
Respecting and upholding the independence of the VCSE sector to deliver their mission. Including their right to campaign, regardless of any relationship, financial or otherwise, which may exist.
In 2012-13, the Department for Education will also include reporting on the Compact within its business plan to be published in spring 2012.
Work Experience
Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to ensure all 15 and 16-year-olds have access to two weeks' work experience each year. [92316]
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Mr Gibb: Around 95% of students participate in work experience, amounting to over half a million placements each year for 14 to 16-year-olds. We believe that schools should be free to provide work experience placements that meet the needs of their pupils and their local communities, rather than a centrally-imposed requirement.
Alison Wolf’s recent review of vocational education, available online at:
https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/DFE-00031-2011
outlined the importance of high quality work experience placements as part of a coherent and well thought out 16-19 study programme. The Government remain committed to providing young people with high quality work experience and we are providing £4.5 million over the next two years for 25 further education colleges to pilot innovative new models for delivering work experience.
We are also working with employers to review regulation and remove barriers that stop employers from offering work experience to young people.
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Women and Equalities
Freedom of Information
Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities whether the Government Equalities Office publishes on its website its response to each request it receives under the Freedom of Information Act 2000; whether the response is published in the same part of its website on each occasion; and what the average time taken is between responding to a request and the information being made available on the website. [92130]
Lynne Featherstone: The Government Equalities Office became part of the Home Office on 1 April 2011. I refer the hon. Member to my answer in response to parliamentary question 92117 on 30 January 2012, Official Report, columns 400-01W.