§ Ms BuckTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the impact of his Department's policies on the constituency of Regent's Park and Kensington North since 1997. [145418]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe constituency Regent's Park and Kensington, North covers part of both Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea local education authorities. Where the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) can or does collect information by constituency, it has been provided.
Additional information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, my Department is investigating ways in which we disseminate information about the effects of our policies at a local level. We hope to have systems to facilitate this in place later this year.
Children, young people and families
The Government have sought to increase the range, number, quality and effectiveness of services for children, young people and families since 1997. Although data are not collected on a constituency basis, information is available on the impact of programmes delivered in the London boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea, and Westminster.
1724WChildren's Social Services
Children's social services in the constituency are delivered by both Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster, both of which are three star social services authorities (as published in the Annual Review of Performance Reports, issued by the Chief Inspector of the Social Services Inspectorate).
Early education
The Government have guaranteed a free, part time, early education available place to all our four-year-olds since 1998 and an increasing number of three-year-olds, if their parents want it. All three-year-olds will be guaranteed a free place by April 2004.
Both Kensington and Westminster authorities have confirmed that they will be able to meet their statutory obligation to three-year-olds by April 2004. Currently, we understand that around 50 per cent. of Kensington's three and four-year-olds take up an early education place, while in Westminster the participation rates are: 86 per cent. for four-year-olds and 92 per cent. for three-year-olds.
Child care
Since 1999, a total of 1,583 new pre-school and out of school child care places have been created within the constituency benefiting 2,689 children.
Disadvantaged area programmes
There are four Sure Start local programmes in the constituency providing a range of early learning, health and family services and with 3,230 children in their catchment areas, and one early excellence centre has been established in the constituency offering early education, childcare, health and family support to local children and families. Neighbourhood nurseries are being built in disadvantaged communities throughout the country following an initiative that began in 2001. There are five proposed flagship children centres in both Kensington and Chelsea LEA and Westminster LEA, some of which would be developed from acclaimed local nursery schools.
Connexions
Connexions, the Government's front line support service for all young people aged 13–19, is providing advice, guidance and support to young people in Regent's Park and Kensington. North constituency through Central London Connexions partnership. Since its launch in June 2002, following a 12 month pilot, young people aged 13–19 have had access to support and advice on a range of issues to help them participate and achieve in education, employment and training and to reach their full potential as adults.
Youth Services
There are two local authority youth services in Regent's Park and Kensington, North-in Westminster and in Kensington and Chelsea. There is evidence that the Department's policies have made a positive impact on the standards of youth service provision in both areas, in both of which Ofsted inspections identified weaknesses but which, when re-inspected in October 2003, were found to have made good progress.
Extended schools
The Department is supporting the rollout of up to 240 full service extended schools by 2006, so that there will be at least one in each LEA area. Quintin Kynaston School in Westminster LEA and Sion Manning RC
1725WSchool for Girls in Kensington and Chelsea LEA are being developed as full service extended schools from this year.
SchoolsRecurrent funding>The estimated1 increase in per pupil funding in Westminster in real terms from 1997–98 to 2004–05 is £1,160, compared with the national average of £880.
School performance tablesKey stage (KS) figures can be found on the DfES website at: www.dfes.gov.uk/perfonnancetables.
Specialist schoolsThere are two specialist schools in Kensington and Chelsea LEA and four specialist schools in Westminster LEA:
Education Action ZonesThere is an Education Action Zone in Westminster, which includes three secondary schools, 22 nursery and primary schools and two special schools.
Beacon schoolsWithin Regent's Park and North Kensington constituency there are a total of sewn Beacon schools.
Primary Strategy LeadershipSix primary schools are part of the Primary Strategy Leadership programme in Kensington and Chelsea. Westminster LEA has not identified particular schools to participate in the programme but is using consultant leaders to give leadership support to all schools across the LEA.
Leadership Incentive GrantThere are eight secondary schools in Westminster in receipt of LIG and four schools in Kensington and Chelsea in receipt of LIG.
Behaviour improvement projectsIn Westminster four secondary schools and 17 primary schools are involved in the BIP. In Kensington and Chelsea there are three secondary schools and 12 primary schools.
Healthy schoolsThere are different levels of involvement within the NHSS, level three being the highest—37.5 per cent. of schools in Kensington and Chelsea and 53 per cent. of schools in Westminster are working at this level and are recognised as healthy schools.
14–19 EducationThe Government's strategy for 14–19 education and training, set out in "14–19: opportunity and excellence", will provide all young people wit h the opportunity to continue their education in different settings, including schools, colleges, and the workplace.
The impact of the 14–19 agenda on Regent's Park and Kensington, North includes:
16–19 area inspection ( 14–19 from March 2003)16–19 area inspections were introduced in 1999 as a key means of securing improvements in education and training for young people. The royal borough of Kensington and Chelsea underwent a 16–19 area inspection in summer 2002. A copy of the Ofsted report can be found on their website www.ofsted.gov.uk.
1726WWith London Central LSC in the lead, local partners developed an action plan that was accepted by Stephen Twigg, the Parliamentary under Secretary of State for Schools, on 12 January 2003. London Central LSC is responsible for the successful implementation of the plan, which is on-going.
Vocational ProvisionLondon Central LSC currently has four work-based learning providers delivering vocational programmes in the constituency of Regents Park and Kensington, North.
Learners in the borough have access to all of the remaining 31 work-based learning providers in the London Central portfolio. Within easy travelling distance they can gain entry to over 35 additional occupational areas ranging from accountancy, engineering and sport and recreation to construction, hospitality and retail.
Educational maintenance allowances
Neither Kensington and Chelsea nor Westminster is covered by Educational Maintenance Allowances (EMA) pilots although some students attending FE institutions in these LEAs may be in receipt of EMA because most of inner London is covered by pilots.
Higher education
Participation
The number of 18 to 20-year-olds entering full-time higher education courses, are as follows:
Number Kensington and Chelsea Westminster 1997 655 613 1998 584 650 1999 614 647 2000 654 672 2001 658 688 2002 655 717
Adult educationThe Local Labour Force Survey shows that in Regents Park and Kensington, North:
The proportion of working age people qualified to at least level 4 has risen from 30.5 per cent. in 1999 to 37.1 per cent. in 2001.The proportion of working age people qualified to at least level 2 has risen from 62.6 per cent. in 1999 to 69.8 per cent. in 2001.The proportion of working people without any qualification has fallen from 18.2 per cent. in 1999 to 13.6 per cent. in 2001.The proportion of working age people who received job related training in the last four weeks rose from 10.4 per cent. in 1999 to 13.1 per cent. in 2001.1 Includes provisional estimates of grants and allocations still to be confirmed. Real terms at 2002–03 prices.