HC Deb 13 November 2001 vol 374 cc720-2W
Mr. Andrew Turner

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what is the basis on which value-added measures have been developed for pilot publications in 2001–02.[14136]

Mr. Timms

Our proposals in respect of value-added measures were set out in detail in the Publication of School and Performance Tables in 2001 consultation document which issued on 30 March this year, copies of which have been placed in the Library. We are now working with some 200 volunteer schools on a pilot programme for the calculation of measures of progress made from Key Stage 2 to key Stage 3 and from Key Stage 3 to GCSE/GNVQ.

The results of the pilot will be published on 22 November with a full explanation of the methodology used. This pilot publication will be placed in the Library and will also be available on the DfES website at www.dfes.gov.uk./performancetables along with a questionnaire seeking the views of readers on all aspects of the pilot. This will be used as part of the evaluation of the pilot which, along with further consultation early next year, will inform final decisions o the publication of these two measures for all secondary schools in the 2002 performance tables.