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Pupils: Disadvantaged

Volume 490: debated on Monday 23 March 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of (a) the proportion of children receiving free school meals, (b) the proportion of children of the relevant age obtaining five or more A* to C GCSEs, including English and mathematics in 2008 and (c) proportion of children receiving free school meals and obtaining five or more A* to C GCSEs, including English and mathematics in 2008; and if he will make a statement. (263599)

The information requested is shown in the following table: this relates to 2008 and to state funded secondary schools (including local authority maintained secondary schools, CTCs and academies).

Percentage

Percentage of pupils in state funded secondary schools eligible for free school meals1

13.1

Percentage of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 obtaining five or more A* to C GCSEs, including English and mathematics2

47.8

Percentage of pupils receiving free school meals and at the end of Key Stage 4 obtaining five or more A* to C GCSEs, including English and mathematics3

23.5

1 The percentage of all pupils in state funded secondary schools known to be eligible for free school meals as at January 2008. Information is taken from SFR 09/2008: Pupil Characteristics and Class Sizes in Maintained Schools in England: January 2008 (Provisional) (Table 2c) which can be found at:

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000786/index.shtml

2 The percentage of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 who achieved five or more A* to C GCSEs, including English and mathematics in 2008. Information is taken from SFR 32/2008 Attainment by Pupil Characteristics, in England 2007/08 (Table 12) which can be found at:

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000822/index.shtml

3 The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals who at the end of Key Stage 4 achieved five or more A* to C GCSEs, including English and mathematics in 2008. Information is taken from SFR 32/2008 Attainment by Pupil Characteristics, in England 2007/08 (Table 12) which can be found at:

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000822/index.shtml