§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools were put under special measures in each of the past five years; how many were put under special measures for longer than two years; what additional resources are allocated to such schools; and what plans she has for the direct funding of them. [10496]
§ Mr. TimmsThe number of schools judged by Ofsted to require "special measures" in each of the last five years is as follows:
Academic year Number 1996–97 326 1997–98 515 1998–99 442 1999–2000 396 2000–01 320 The Government are committed to ensuring that the number of schools subject to special measures continues to decline year-on-year.
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£ million 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 Nursery Education Grant — 40 100 200 238 Neighbourhood Support Fund — — 60 60 60 Education Maintenance Allowances1 — 11 78 159 192 Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative2 — — — 46 74 Learning and Skills Council/Further Education—Widening Participation Initiative3,4 22 52 66 94 n/a Sure Start5 — 7 58 184 449 1 The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) pilot areas were selected using a number of indicators, one of which was the Index of Local Deprivation (1998). EMA pilots began in 15 areas in September 1999 and were expanded to a further 41 areas in September 2000. 2 Funding allocated at the Spending Review 2000. Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative funding has been allocated using the 20 per cent. extent measure from the Index of Multiple Deprivation (2000). It identifies the number of wards within each LEA that fall within the 20 per cent. most disadvantaged in the country. Local education authorities received an allocation of funding according to the number of wards within their area that fall within the 20 per cent., weighted with the population of 0 to four-year-olds. 3 From 1998–99, Further Education institutions could claim additional funding for students resident in deprived areas. This funding was extended in 1999–2000 to include other types of students. 4 Widening Participation Initiative allocations for 2002–03 have not yet been finalised. 5 The Sure Start programme is a cross-departmental programme but is also within the Department for Education and Skills' Departmental Expenditure Limit. Over the last five years, a total of 180 schools have been in special measures for more than two years, of which 135 subsequently improved and were taken out of special measures and 16 have now closed. The Government's policy is now that all schools in special measures should be turned round within two years or closed. The recent White Paper "Schools: Achieving Success" proposes further options to support more rapid improvement when schools fail.
This year, local education authorities in England have been allocated £70,000 in school improvement grant for each secondary school in special measures and £25,000 for each equivalent primary school.
The Government have no plans to introduce direct funding of schools in special measures.