§ Mr. KidneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to review the range and quality of swimming instruction in primary schools; and if he will make a statement. [41848]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisHer Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools reports annually to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on the standards and quality of physical education, including swimming, and other subjects taught in schools. For 1996–97 he reported that achievement in swimming was generally good in primary schools.
Mr. Gareth ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will ensure that swimming and water safety are a statutory requirement of the core curriculum within the National Curriculum at Key Stages 1 and 2. [41449]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment believes it is important that children learn how to swim. This is a safety measure and will remain part of the primary curriculum.
Mr. Gareth ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will ensure that funding given by his Department for swimming and water safety is used solely for those purposes. [41445]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisThe Department allocates no funding specifically for swimming and water safety. Primary schools must ensure that they teach swimming as part of the National Curriculum for physical education.
§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of primary schools in Coventry provide teaching in
262W
GCSE achievements of 15 year old pupils1 in all schools, by each twentieth group of pupils ranked according to their GCSE/GNVQ point score for all subjects (a) Male (b) Female (c) All 15 year old pupils Number of 15 year olds Average No. of GCSE entries per pupil Average point score per 15 year old pupil in all subjects Number of 15 year olds Average No. of GCSE entries per pupil Average point score per 15 year old pupil in all subjects Number of 15 year olds Average No. of GCSE entries per pupil Average point score per 15 year old pupil in all subjects 14,975 0.0 0.0 14,363 0.0 0.0 29,338 0.0 0.0 14,976 2.0 0.4 14,363 4.0 3.1 29,339 2.9 1.3 14,975 4.7 5.8 14,363 6.5 11.5 29,338 5.4 8.1 14,976 6.5 11.4 14,362 7.7 17.9 29,338 7.1 14.3 swimming and water safety; and what was the level of LEA funding for this purpose in (a) Coventry and (b) the West Midlands in each of the last five years. [40944]
§ Ms Estelle Morris[holding answer 8 May 1998]: The Department does not collect information centrally on the provision and funding of teaching in swimming and water safety. Funding for swimming tuition, the care and maintenance of swimming pools, and transport and admission to swimming pools is usually included within schools' delegated budgets.
§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of primary schools in the UK currently provide swimming and water safety skills; and what is the figure for other European Union countries. [40943]
§ Ms Estelle Morris[holding answer 8 May 1998]: All primary schools in England are required to teach swimming, including the principles and skills of water safety and survival, as part of the National Curriculum for physical education. They will continue to be required to do so.
Questions about teaching in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland, for Scotland and for Wales.
The Department does not collect information about provision for the teaching of swimming or water safety skills in other European Union countries.