HC Deb 11 January 2001 vol 360 cc623-7W
Mr. Gordon Marsden

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will set out, including statistical information relating as directly as possible to the constituency, the effect on the Blackpool, South constituency of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [142235]

Mr. Wills

Blackpool LEA achieved unitary status on 1 April 1998 following local government reorganisation. It is therefore difficult to make statistical comparisons from 1997 to 2000. Outlined are details of the effect on the Blackpool, South constituency and Blackpool LEA of a range of the Department's policies.

Sure Start

There is a Sure Start programme centred on Mereside. There is a strong emphasis on community capacity building, particularly through training both to increase self-confidence and to promote self-sufficiency. Parents and grandparents are involved in providing some of the services, such as running storytelling and rhyme clubs. The programme has received total funding of up to £1,950,070.

Beacon Schools

The LEA has two Beacon Schools—Anchorsholme County Primary School and Christ the King Catholic Primary School.

Specialist Schools

There are two specialist schools—Bispham High School (Arts) and Montgomery High School (Language).

Class Size

£
Blackpool LEA Revenue Capital
1998–99 73,000 414,500
1999–2000 351,000 278,125
2000–01 588,710 171,200

The September 2000 figure shows that in Blackpool there are now only 192 (4.1 per cent.) pupils remaining in infant classes of 31 or more. The figure in January 1997 was 2,369 (45.4 per cent.).

Key Stage Test Results

Percentage of pupils at level 4 or above in the Key Stage 2 tests
English Maths Science
1998 60 56 62
1999 64 64 70
2000 72 66 79

Attainment by pupils aged 15 in GCSE and GNVQ equivalents
Percentage 5 or more A*-C Percentage no passes
1998 1999 2000 1998 1999 2000
Blackpool 34.6 36.5 36.1 6.9 7.3 6.3
England 46.3 47.9 49.2 6.6 6.0 5.6

Partnership Programme for Independent and State Schools

Langdale Preparatory School (Independent) and Claremont Primary School (State) received Independent/State School Partnerships grant of £17,000 in 1999–2000 for one year. The schools worked together to explore "The Development of Blackpool and its Relationship to Tourism". The project involved most areas of the curriculum with emphases on History, Geography, Science, Art, Mathematics and English.

Funding

PPP

Collegiate High School—This project (supported by NDS) was signed during summer 2000 between the school, LEA and Uforia (private contractor). Work commenced on 11 September and is expected to be completed by 7 May 2001. The project is to construct an indoor sports centre on the school grounds, which will also be available to another special school. The private sector partner will contribute capital and be granted a lease to operate the upgraded facilities out of school hours. The school currently pays rent for indoor sports facilities. Total value of the project is £1,200,000 (£750,000 NDS and £450,000 private sector contribution).

Capital (£000)
2000–01 1999–2000 1998–99
ACG 3,437 2,124 642
SCA 70 50 624
NDS 1,863 1,259 661
VA grant 226 93 69
SEED 115 — —
PPP — — —
Capital formula 993 — —
NGfL 371 376 234
Science labs 103 — —
SSLUs 35 — —
Assistance with AMP — 14 —
Access at %85 — — 9
Security 37 37 36
Outside toilets — — 47
Energy — — 41

Under New Deal for Schools (NDS) the following schools in the Blackpool, South constituency have benefited:

NDS1 Baines Endowed CE—Scheme submitted by District Liaison Committee—£6,548

NDS2

  • Grange Park Junior—roof repair—£1,075 and tiling toilet floors—£9,675
  • Revoe Primary—roofing—£172,000
  • Thames County Primary—roofing—£11,825
  • Waterloo Primary—roofing—£26,875, toilet upgrades—£12,900 and gable end correction—£2,685
  • Mereside Primary—refurbishment of toilets—£22,790
  • Roseacre Primary—replacement toilets—£26,875
  • Collegiate High—refurbishment of toilets—£12,900
  • St. George's High—refurbishment of changing rooms—£6,990
  • Highfield High—repairs to brick arches—£53,750
  • Palatine High—repair of brickwork—£860, resurface netball courts—£1,450, resurface tennis courts—£17,200 and repair/replace slabs—£919

NDS3

  • Collegiate High—sports facilities—£750,000
  • Highfield High, Palatine High, Grange Park Infant and Junior and St. Kentigerns RC Primary—Part of 10-school package for re-roofing totalling £509,400

NDS4

  • St. George's High—general refurbishment—£220,000
  • Highfield High—refurbishment of science and food technology labs—£256,300 and part of a three-school package for replacement of temporary classrooms totalling £570,688
  • Collegiate High—rewiring—£382,590
  • Park School, Palatine High and Highfield High—part of a four-school package for replacement of windows totalling £220,000.

Further Education Numbers

Student numbers at all FEFC funded institutions, where the home postcode is in the Blackpool, South constituency 1992–97, 1997–98, 1998–99
16–18 Adult
FT PT FT PT
FEFC funded
1996–97 954 277 538 4,323
1997–98 966 338 640 4,768
1998–99 926 336 605 4,906
Non-FEFC funded
1996–97 140 110 120 115
1997–98 84 151 129 143
1998–99 115 151 180 483

Note:

Under 16s included in 16–18 figures; where age unknown, included in adult figures

Sources:

1996–97: Individualised Student Record 10 (December 1997)

1997–98: Individualised Student Record 13 (December 1998)

1998–99: Individualised Student Record 16 (December 1999)

for all FEFC funded institutions

Modern Apprenticeships Data

Since 2 May 1997, we know of 956 starts on Modern Apprenticeships in the Blackpool, South constituency (as at 30 September 2000). Broken down by financial year these are:

Financial year Foundation Modern Apprenticeships1 Advanced Modern Apprenticeships2 Total
1997–98 0 142 142
1998–99 23 169 192
1999–2000 215 174 389
2000–013 115 118 233
Total 353 603 956
1 Foundation Modern Apprenticeships, formerly known as National Traineeships, were introduced nationally in September 1997.
2 Advanced Modern Apprenticeships, formerly known as Modern Apprenticeships, were introduced nationally in September 1995.
3 To date.

Source:

WBTYP trainee database

Please note:

  1. 1. The Trainee Database System (TDS), from which these data are taken, is less complete than Management Information supplied to the Department by Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs) (around 95 per cent.).
  2. 2. In addition, the postcode information on the TDS, from which parliamentary constituency data are compiled, are 95 per cent. complete.
  3. 3. TEC Management Information does not provide information at parliamentary constituency level.

Labour Market Data

The working age employment rate in Blackpool in summer 2000 was 74.2 per cent. compared with a seasonally unadjusted UK figure of" 75.1 per cent.

The working age employment rate in Blackpool increased by 1.7 percentage points between summer 1997 and summer 2000.

New Deal for Young People
Number
Starts 931
Jobs total 474
Subsidised 41

New Deal for 25+
Number
Starts 367
Jobs total 84
Subsidised 12