To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many (a) teachers responded to advertisements for the Fast Track Teaching programme and (b) retention allowances were paid to teachers in each year since the programme’s inception. (266359)

The information is not available in the format requested. The programme received approximately eight times as many inquiries as the number of people accepted onto the programme.

Recruitment/retention allowances were paid to the schools of all Fast Track Teachers (FTTs) recruited from 2000-05.

From 2006/07 payments continued to the qualifying schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families for what reasons the Fast Track Teaching programme has been terminated; and whether he plans to compensate financially those already participating in the programme. (266360)

The Fast Track Teaching programme was designed in 2000 and since that time the educational context and the role of school leaders has changed significantly. There is now a greater need for provision which offers those with high potential for headship a personalised, accelerated route direct to the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH). The Fast Track Teaching programme will be replaced with a new programme intended to meet better the needs of the system. The National College for School Leadership (NCSL) will continue to fund schools for the cost of the additional pay point awarded to eligible teachers who joined the Fast Track Teaching before September 2005. Fast Track teachers’ basic salaries will not be affected by the programme coming to an end. From 1 September 2009, NCSL will no longer fund schools for the recruitment/retention allowance linked to participation in the programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will take steps to ensure that Mr. Thomas Graham of Kingsbridge Community College receives his Fast Track Teaching programme retention allowance until 2010; and if he will make a statement. (266361)

The National College for School Leadership (NCSL) will cease funding Mr. Graham’s school for the retention allowance, once the programme closes, on 31 August 2009. It is for the school to decide whether it continues to pay Mr. Graham the allowance.

In 2008, the Secretary of State accepted advice from the NCSL that the funding of schools for the cost of the allowances should cease when the programme closed.