HC Deb 07 February 2000 vol 344 cc37-8W
Mr. Clappison

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the number of state school pupils receiving lessons from independent school teachers as a result of the Independent State Schools Partnership scheme. [108573]

Ms Estelle Morris

We estimate that over 18,000 pupils in maintained schools and 12,000 pupils in independent schools have been involved in the Independent/State School Partnership scheme so far.

Many of the partnerships also focus on staff development, through joint INSET training, sharing ideas on curriculum development and classroom observation. Some involve joint teaching, particularly in minority subject areas, to provide a broader curriculum for pupils and a wider experience base for teachers in both sectors; but information is not collected specifically on the number of state school pupils taught by independent school staff.

Mr. Clappison

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list(a) state schools and (b) independent schools participating in the Independent State Schools Partnership scheme. [108574]

Ms Estelle Morris

There are around 300 state and independent schools participating in the Independent/State School Partnerships Scheme. These schools are listed in the Department's Press Notices 241/98 and 200/99, copies of which have been placed in the Library.

Mr. Clappison

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much(a) has been spent and (b) was planned to be spent in support of the Independent State Schools Partnership scheme in each year since its inception. [108575]

Ms Estelle Morris

Actual expenditure in support of the Independent/State School Partnerships scheme is given in the table, together with the originally announced planned expenditure which was later supplemented in the light of the response to the scheme:

£
Financial year Actual expenditure1 Planned expenditure1
1998–99 600,000 500,000
1999–2000 925,000 675,000
2000–01 n/a 675,000
1Including £250,000 joint funding from the Sutton Trust in 1998–99 and £100,000 in each of 1999–2000 and 2000–01.