HC Deb 27 October 2003 vol 412 cc81-2WS
Jonathan Shaw

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will allow local education authorities to renegotiate their targets for key stage two. [134324]

The number of people of working age1 working towards a GNVQ Intermediate
England,1996–2003
GNVQ intermediate Total people studying towards a qualification
2001 105,555 5,387,468
2002 92,438 5,475,155
2003 72,329 5,436,972
1 Covers males aged 16–64 and females aged 16–59

The attainment figures for intermediate GNVQs and the 5 or more grades A*-C GCSE/GNVQ indicator are based on data collected for the secondary school performance tables and are based on 15-year-old pupils only.

Number and percentage of 15-year-old pupils achieving intermediate GNVQs
Academic year Number Percentage of 15-year-olds
1995/96
1996/97 2,418 0.4
1997/98 4,927 0.9
1998/99 7,925 1.4
1999/2000 10,397 1.8
2000/01 16,178 2.7
2001/02 36,197 6.0
2002/03 (Provisional) 72,680 11.7

(a) The following table shows, the number and percentage of 15-year-old pupils who achieved 5 + A*-C grades at GCSE/GNVQ, and the route they took to achieve this.

Mr. Miliband

Changes to the Key Stage 2 target setting arrangements were announced in "Excellence and Enjoyment: A strategy for primary schools", published in May 2003. For 2005 onwards, primary schools will set their own targets for the achievement of their 11-year-old pupils in English and mathematics, with local education authorities (LEAs) setting their targets for Key Stage 2 performance afterwards.

The Secretary of State has already approved Key Stage 2 targets for all LEAs for 2004, which form part of their Educational Development Plans. The Department has issued guidance indicating that LEAs may feel it appropriate to review their 2004 Key Stage 2 targets in the light of the changes to the primary school target setting arrangements. We expect this to apply to only a small number of LEAs.