HC Deb 14 December 1987 vol 124 c341W
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table showing the subjects taught in(a) state schools and (b) independent schools for the most recent period for which information is available.

Mrs. Rumbold

The information is not available in precisely the form in which the hon. Member asks. But examinations attempted by fifth formers in secondary schools give an indication of the breadth and balance of the curriculum pursued by individual pupils. The following figures show the examinations attempted within the areas of the proposed national curriculum foundation subjects, for pupils at maintained and independent schools:

School Leavers 1985–86, England
Percentage attempting O Level/CSE in the curriculum area
Curriculum areas studied Maintained schools Independent schools
(E)nglish 85 95
(M)athematics 80 93
(S)cience1 64 84
(T)echnology2 40 21
(M)odern (L)anguages 37 78
(H)istory/(G)eography 61 80
(C)reative (A)rts3 34 32
E M 78 92
E M S 60 81
E M S T 23 14
E M S ML 31 68
E M S HG 47 68
E M S CA 22 26
E M S T ML 8 10
E M S T HG 17 12
E M S T CA 7 4
E M S ML HG 25 58
E M S ML CA 11 21
E M S HG CA 17 21
E M S T ML HG 6 9
E M S T ML CA 2 2
E M S ML HG CA 8 17
Source: School leavers survey.
1 Science includes physics, chemistry and biology.
2Technology includes craft, design and technology and other sciences.
3 Creative arts includes art and music.