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Written question asked by Nick Gibb (Conservative) on Wednesday, 11 January 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 16 January 2006. It was answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern (Labour) on Wednesday, 25 January 2006 on behalf of the Office for Standards in Education.

Class Setting

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of lessons inspected by Ofsted were recorded as setted in science in years (a) seven, (b) eight, (c) nine, (d) 10, (e) 11 and (f) all years in (i) England and (ii) West Sussex local education authority in each year since 1995.
Answer

This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Maurice Smith, will write to the hon. Member and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.Letter from Maurice Smith, dated 13 January 2006:"Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for reply.""You asked what proportion of lessons inspected by Ofsted were recorded as setted in science in years (a) seven, (b) eight, (c) nine, (d) ten, (e) eleven and (f) all years in (i) England and (ii) West Sussex local education authority in each year since 1995.""The tables attached show the percentage of lessons which were setted by ability, seen by inspectors during the academic years 1996/97 to 2002/03. Prior to 1996/97 inspectors were not required to record information about grouping and from 2002/03 records do not distinguish between setting and streaming (banded).""The data at individual subject level and for the individual LEA, West Sussex, should be interpreted with caution as the small numbers of records are unlikely to be fully representative of the grouping arrangements as a whole in the LEA.""A copy of this reply has been sent to Jacqui Smith and will be placed in the Library of both Houses."

Science
1996/97 1997/98 1998/99 1999/2000
Year group Total number of lessons Percentage of setted lessons Total number of lessons Percentage of setted lessons Total number of lessons Percentage of setted lessons Total number of lessons Percentage of setted lessons
England
Year 7 2,629 20 1,476 27 2,160 27 1,692 28
Year 8 2,655 46 1,522 49 2,090 52 1,625 54
Year 9 2,796 65 1,667 68 2,459 69 1,926 69
Year 10 3,059 77 2,069 76 2,948 76 2,268 77
Year 11 4,664 69 2,058 76 3,111 76 2,336 77
Total 7–11 15,803 58 8,792 62 12,768 62 9,847 63
West Sussex
Year 7 22 0 4 100 32 38 22 32
Year 8 32 34 3 100 26 42 15 80
Year 9 27 74 4 0 9 22 22 73
Year 10 21 86 3 0 25 32 25 76
Year 11 57 86 4 0 39 33 18 61
Total 7–11 159 62 18 39 131 35 102 64
2000/01 2001/02 2002/03
Year group Total number of lessons Percentage of setted lessons Total number of lessons Percentage of setted lessons Total number of lessons Percentage of setted lessons
West Sussex
Year 7 1,325 32 1,206 34 1,121 40
Year 8 1,311 64 1,104 62 1,013 62
Year 9 1,723 76 1,467 77 1,345 74
Year 10 1,857 85 1,539 85 1,359 80
Year 11 1,945 82 1,672 86 1,528 83
Total 7–11 8,161 71 6,988 71 6,366 70
Year 7 9 44 6 33 16 44
Year 8 21 71 8 25 17 41
Year 9 38 84 12 75 20 70
Year 10 36 92 13 77 23 83
Year 11 31 90 8 63 20 85
Total 7–11 135 83 47 60 96 67
Notes: Framework changes occurred in January 2000 and September 2003. Changes in the way groupings in lessons are recorded may mean that data are not directly comparable from one framework to another. From January 2000 to July 2003, the inspection arrangements included full and short inspections. The majority of lessons observed will have been in full inspections. The most effective schools had short inspections.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
441 c2194-6W; 42492
Session
2005-06
Related items
Deposited Paper HINF 2006/174
Wednesday, 25 January 2006
Deposited papers
House of Commons
Subjects
Education Science West Sussex Teaching methods
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk