HC Deb 07 September 2004 vol 424 cc1005-8W
Alan Simpson

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the impact in Nottingham of reductions in numbers of teachers and teaching assistants on the introduction of planning, preparation and assessment time for all teachers. [187084]

Mr. Miliband

Individual schools will decide how they introduce planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time for all teachers from September 2005. That is because schools make changes in their staffing levels every year in response to a range of issues including changing pupil numbers, new school priorities and the resources available to them.

The calculation of the Education Formula Spending Share has a floor and ceiling component which ensures that all authorities see a minimum increase per pupil which is in part funded by having a ceiling which imposes a maximum increase per pupil. In 2004–05 Nottingham City local education authority received the ceiling increase (6.8 per cent. per pupil and percentages provide for average cost of implementing PPA time).

I refer also to the written statement I laid before the House on 13 July 2004, Official Report, column 55WS, on school funding for 2005–06. On the same day there was also a press notice issued by the Department (DIES press notice 2004/0137), which included a statement welcoming the school funding settlement by the Workforce Agreement Monitoring Group (made up of the majority of the school workforce unions and other partners).

The written statement to the House sets out how we have considered, with our partner signatories, the costs of implementation of the National Agreement. It announces what funds will be available to schools to implement the Agreement in 2005–06.

At local level, the funding allocation for each local education authority for 2005–06 will be announced in the provisional local government finance settlement in the autumn. However, every authority will receive an increase in the Schools Formula Spending Share of at least 5.5 per cent. per pupil. Primary and nursery schools will receive a minimum funding increase per pupil of 5 per cent. and secondary schools of 4 per cent. where pupil numbers do not change.

We will continue to monitor trends in the schools workforce through the Annual Schools Census each January. There are now 427,800 full-time equivalent teachers—28,600 more than in 1997 and the highest number since 1981—and the number of support staff has increased to 241,700, having more than doubled since 1997. These figures illustrate the trend of the significant increases in teachers and support staff since 1997.

The next School Workforce Volume will be available in the autumn.

Mr. Love

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the most recent estimate is of the average total salary of a(a) primary school teacher and (b) secondary school teacher in (i) Enfield, (ii) Inner London and (iii) England; and if he will make a statement. [187003]

Mr. Miliband

The following table shows the average salary of full-time teachers employed in maintained nursery/primary and secondary schools in Enfield local education authority, Inner London and England in March 2002, the latest information available.

£
Nursery and primary Secondary
Enfield LEA 29,700 32,070
Inner London 30,880 33,660
England 27,600 29,550
Source:
The Database of Teacher Records. Figures cover all grades and include all allowances.

Mr. Hoban

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills wh#t level of proficiency participants in(a) the Post Graduate Certificate of Education, (b) Teach First and (c) the Graduate Teacher Programme need to reach with regard to (i) ICT and (ii) special educational needs to be deemed to have met the course requirements. [186421]

Mr. Miliband

Before they can be recommended for qualified teacher status, all trainee teachers, whatever training route they follow, must demonstrate that they have achieved the professional standards for QTS set out in "Qualifying to teach". This applies to all the standards, including those related to ICT and special educational needs.

Mr. Love

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many(a) primary and (b) secondary teacher vacancies there were at the start of each of the last five academic years in (i) the London borough of Enfield, (ii) inner London and (iii) England; what the percentage salary rate was in each year; and if he will make a statement. [187006]

Mr. Miliband

The tables show teacher vacancy numbers and rates in maintained nursery/primary and secondary schools in the London borough of Enfield, inner London and England in January of each year since 1999. January 2003 is the latest year available.

Nursery and Primary
1999 2001 2002 2002 2003
Vacancies1
Enfield 19 13 29 27 16
Inner London 367 355 510 321 153
England 1,374 1,420 2,110 1,796 1,114
Rates2
Enfield 1.9 1.2 2.7 2.5 1.8
Inner London 3.8 3.6 5.4 3.4 1.6
England 0.8 0.8 1.2 1.0 0.6

Secondary
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Vacancies1
Enfield 9 15 33 33 21
Inner London 140 197 367 267 194
England 939 1,246 2,586 2.447 2,050
Rates2
Enfield 0.7 1.3 2.7 3.0 1.8
Inner London 1.9 2.6 4.8 3.5 2.6
England 0.5 0.7 1.4 1.3 1.1
1Advertised vacancies for full-time permanent appointments for appointments of at least one term's duration). Includes vacancies being filled on a temporary basis of less than one term.
2Vacancies as a percentage of full-time qualified teachers in post.
Source:
DfES annual survey of teachers in service (Form 618g)

Mr. Ruffley

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many full-time equivalent teachers have been employed in Suffolk in each of the last 10 years. [187194]

Mr. Miliband

The following table gives the full-time equivalent number of regular teachers in the maintained schools sector in Suffolk local education authority in each January since 1994. 2003 is the latest year available.

Number
2003 5,700
2002 5,660
2001 5,490
2000 5,450
1999 5,450
1998 5,380
1997 5,330
1996 5,330
1995 5,360
1994 5,270
Source:
DfES annual survey of teachers in service (Form 618G).