HL Deb 16 December 1993 vol 550 cc131-2WA
Baroness Blackstone

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Which paragraphs in which reports of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools state that there are failures in the existing system of teacher training which necessitates a complete restructuring of the present training system.

Baroness Blatch

The Education Bill provides for a new Teacher Training Agency to underpin a series of reforms which are already under way. The reforms are justified by the high quality and cost-effective teacher training they will deliver. Reports from the Office for Standards in Education on teacher education have noted much good practice; but there is also evidence of unsatisfactory performance by some new teachers. Evidence about the latter supports the need for reforms and I referred to this during the debate on the Second Reading of the Education Bill on 7 December (Official Report, cols. 922 and 923).

Baroness Blackstone

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many schools are taking part in school centred teacher training at present; how many students are taking part in the scheme; how much each school is being paid per student; and what is the average amount of grant being paid to each student undertaking such training; and

What expenditure has been incurred by or on behalf of the Department for Education publicising, promoting and managing the school centred initial training of teachers.

Baroness Blatch

Thirty-four schools in six consortia are taking part in school-centred initial teacher training courses which started in September, and 148 students were enrolled on these courses at the beginning of the autumn term.

Each consortium is paid a maximum of £4,000 per student for course running costs; this is based on the average amount that HE institutions receive in Funding Council grant and fees per PGCE student. Students are paid flat-rate bursaries based on the grant and loan payable to students on PGCE courses eligible for a range of additional allowances depending upon circumstances and the subject studied. The average grant per student is £5,059 pa.

The costs of administering the scheme have been met by DFE within planned expenditure levels. There has been no expenditure on paid publicity for the scheme.