HC Deb 04 February 2002 vol 379 cc721-2W
Mr. Blizzard

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures she(a) has introduced and (b) plans to implement in response to the report of the Migration Research Unit into the effect of pupil mobility on (i) schools and (ii) educational attainment. [31849]

Mr. Ivan Lewis

The report from the Migration Research Unit identified a number of groups of mobile pupils. In only one of these was an effect on attainment found. This was for those pupils who moved house frequently due to family break-up. The effects on schools included the need for flexible induction. Measures being introduced and that are planned for implementation includeA project with 22 schools facing challenging circumstances with high mobility to raise the attainment of mobile populations; Guidance on the Standards Site illustrating how schools with high mobility have effectively tackled this; Monitoring and evaluation of outcomes of mobile pupils through the use of unique pupil numbers.