§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures are being taken to raise the aspirations of young pupils in deprived areas; and what progress has been made in encouraging them to attain higher standards. [129091]
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§ Mr. Ivan LewisWe are currently investing over £500 million pounds a year in revenue funding to raise the aspirations and achievements of young pupils in deprived areas through the Excellence in Cities programme. The programme covers 58 authorities as well as Excellence Clusters which tackle smaller pockets of deprivation. It includes some 1,000 secondary schools and over 1,000 primaries. In addition to providing Learning Mentors Learning Support Units enhanced opportunities for Gifted and Talented pupils and EiC Action Zones and City Learning Centres, the funding also provides for the delivery of Behaviour Improvement Plans, Leadership Incentive Grant and Aim Higher which is specifically designed to raise aspirations and widen access to Higher Education.
OFSTED's recent report on Excellence In Cities found that: schools and teachers had been helped to meet the needs of disaffected and vulnerable pupils more effectively; exclusions are being reduced; attendance is improving at a faster rate in the schools involved in the programme; and the introduction of the programme has been associated with a faster rise in standards in secondary schools in EiC areas than nationally.
As well as the additional support provided through the Governments targeted initiatives we are aiming to raise the aspirations and educational performance of pupils in deprived areas through mainstream programmes. The mainstream Primary and KS3 National Strategies are built on the principle that all children are capable of attaining high standards.
§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills in what circumstances children in deprived areas are paid to attend(a) school, (b) sixth form college, (c) further education colleges; and what guidance he has issued on how much is granted on a weekly basis. [129092]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisEducation Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is currently running as a pilot scheme in 56 Local Education Authority (LEA) areas in England. The pilots have tested eight variants of payment arrangements for EMA, two of which concentrate on the costs of transport. The maximum weekly payments vary from £20 to £40 assessed on income levels up to £30,000. Guidance on the pilot arrangements is made available through the LEAs.
From September 2004 EMAs will be made available across England, offering a weekly payment of up to £30, paid directly to young people who stay on in further education after they reach statutory leaving age. Young people may also receive bonuses if they remain on their course and make good progress with their learning. A leaflet explaining the national EMA scheme was published in August this year and copies are available in the House of Commons Library.
For young people with specific needs there is financial support available through the Learner Support Funds, providing help towards transport costs, books and equipment, residential allowances and help with childcare.
The support arrangements for school leavers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are a matter for the devolved administrations.