Monday Volume 504 25 January 2010 No. 29 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Monday 25 January 2010 £5·00 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2010 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Parliamentary Click-Use Licence, available online through the Office of Public Sector Information website at www.opsi.gov.uk/click-use/ Enquiries to the Office of Public Sector Information, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU; e-mail: [email protected] 531 25 JANUARY 2010 532 Mr. Coaker: I do not accept that numeracy and House of Commons literacy standards are nowhere near where they should be—a significant rise has taken place in those standards. Monday 25 January 2010 The number of primary school pupils gaining level 4, which is the benchmark that we use, has risen significantly. I mentioned the GCSE results at Battersea Park school, The House met at half-past Two o’clock but the results of other secondary schools up and down the country also show a significant improvement. Are we satisfied with that and do we want to do more? Of PRAYERS course we want to do more, which is why we are introducing one-to-one tuition in primary schools. Such tuition will be carried on into secondary schools and [MR.SPEAKER in the Chair] will be backed up by the resources and investment needed. Oral Answers to Questions Ms Karen Buck (Regent’s Park and Kensington, North) (Lab): Is my hon. Friend aware that the number of pupils obtaining five good GCSEs in Westminster has more than doubled since 1997? Will he join me in CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES congratulating Martin Tissot and the teachers and pupils at St. George’s school? That school had a particularly troubled history and the fact that it has just been The Secretary of State was asked— recognised as the most improved school in London GCSE Grades shows what can be done with a combination of excellent leadership and resources. 1. Martin Linton (Battersea) (Lab): Which five schools have shown the greatest increase in numbers of passes Mr. Coaker: Of course I join my hon. Friend in of GCSE grades A* to C since 1997. [312577] congratulating the school in her constituency and Martin Tissot on his work. It goes to show that schools that The Minister for Schools and Learners (Mr. Vernon have good leadership, work with their communities and Coaker): We are unable to make a statistically valid focus on teaching and learning can, even in the most comparison of results for all schools individually between difficult circumstances, raise standards and improve 1997 and 2009. However, 45.1 per cent. of pupils achieved results. That is what has happened in the school that she five or more good grades—A* to C— in 1997 and that mentions, and it is happening in schools up and down rose to 70 per cent. in 2009. the country. Martin Linton: I know that the figures are now normally Mr. Nick Gibb (Bognor Regis and Littlehampton) given including English and Maths and so no straight (Con): Is the Minister not concerned that nearly half of comparison is possible with those from 1997. However, the 75,000 children on free school meals do not get a on the basis of the figures that are comparable—those single GCSE above a grade D; that fewer than 4 per for straight GCSE passes—is the Minister aware that cent. of those 75,000 children are even entered for a the results of Battersea Park school in my constituency GCSE in biology, physics or chemistry; that the independent have improved by 66 percentage points, from between sector now accounts for nearly half of all A* grades in 4 and 5 per cent. in 1997 to 70 per cent. now? Does that GCSE French and achieves more A grades at A-level not make it the most improved school over that period than all our comprehensive schools put together; and, in the country? most damning of all, that the achievement gap in GCSEs Mr. Coaker: It certainly makes it one of the most between the poorest areas of the country and the richest improved schools in the country over that period, and I is widening—from 20 percentage points last year to a congratulate all the staff, pupils and parents at Battersea staggering 25 percentage points this year? Why, when Park school on all the work that they have done. My pupils and teachers are working harder than ever, are hon. Friend is right to draw attention to the improved this Government generating deeper and deeper inequalities? results in obtaining five A* to C GCSE grades—as he says, the figure for his local school has risen from 5 per Mr. Coaker: The key stage 4 results for children on cent. in 1997 to 70 per cent. in 2009. He may be free school meals are rising faster than the average, and interested to learn that 11 per cent. of Battersea Park between 2002 and 2009 the number of pupils on free school’s pupils gained the benchmark of five A* to C school meals achieving the equivalent of five A* to C GCSEs including English and Maths in 2005, whereas grades at GCSE rose by 26 percentage points. It does 36 per cent. of its pupils did so in 2009. However one not do the hon. Gentleman justice to keep pointing measures it, Battersea Park school has made significant negatively at the achievements of those on free school and substantial improvements, and should be congratulated meals. Significant improvement has been made in respect on doing so. of those pupils, many of whose schools face the most difficult and challenging circumstances. Do we want to Mr. Nicholas Soames (Mid-Sussex) (Con): I welcome achieve more? Of course we do, which is why there has any improved results, but does the Minister agree that been a focus in those schools on standards and why, the basic standards of literacy and numeracy in this over time, we will also see an improvement in numeracy country are nowhere near good enough for a country and literacy, particularly through the introduction of that is attempting to compete in a global economy? one-to-one tuition. As I say, there are things that we 533 Oral Answers25 JANUARY 2010 Oral Answers 534 need to do and we need to do more, but more will not be with new apprenticeships, they give 14 to 19-year-olds a achieved by simply decrying the achievements of schools real alternative for the first time in the history of education that serve the most difficult areas. in our country? Education Maintenance Allowance Ed Balls: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that question. The fact is that we have a higher number of young people staying on in education after 16 than we 2. Nia Griffith (Llanelli) (Lab): What his policy is on have ever had, and that is really good preparation for the future of the education maintenance allowance; when education to 18 becomes the law in a few years’ and if he will make a statement. [312578] time. Whether education takes place in school, in college or through an apprenticeship, it is vital to have qualifications The Secretary of State for Children, Schools and that meet the needs of every student, whether they are Families (Ed Balls): The pre-Budget report announced more academic or want more vocational learning. It is an investment of £8.2 billion in 2010-11 to fund 1.6 million also vital to ensure that they are not pushed down one places and meet our September guarantee to school route because their family says, “I’m really sorry, but leavers of a school, college or apprenticeship place. you’ve got to go to work as we can’t afford full-time We expect to spend about £580 million on education study.” That is what EMAs deal with. To propose that maintenance allowances which will fund a further they should be scaled back or abolished would be a very 80,000 places, and in 2011 we will remove the EMA retrograde step for social justice in our country. bonus scheme to ensure that we can guarantee EMA payments to all students who need them. Sex Education (Faith Schools) Nia Griffith: Many young people in my constituency have benefited from what the Welsh Assembly Government 3. Mr. Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con): What have done in parallel with the Department. They use the recent representations he has received on teaching about money wisely to help young people stay in education homosexual relationships in faith schools. [312579] beyond 16. Does the Secretary of State share my concern that some people are talking even about depriving young The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children, people of such things? For example, the nationalist Schools and Families (Ms Diana R. Johnson): We are not Government in Scotland have decided to steal the money aware of any specific representations from faith schools from the young people who need it most—those who on teaching about homosexual relationships, although are staying on in school and trying to do the best they we are aware that it is of concern to some. We will be can for their futures. consulting on revised guidance to schools on sex and relationships education that makes it clear that schools Ed Balls: This is rightly a devolved matter, so it is for have the flexibility to tailor their SRE provision to the Administrations in Wales and Scotland to decide, reflect the ethos of the school, but that teaching should but the evidence shows that EMA payments increase be presented in a balanced way and should include participation in education beyond the age of 16 for other perspectives.