Pupils: Languages

Tim Loughton

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of pupils whose first language was not English achieved five grades A* to C at GCSE in each year since 1997. (265671)

The information requested is given in the following table for the years 2001-02 to 2007-8. Information for years prior to 2001-02 is not available as prior to 2002 individual pupil characteristic information was not collected.

*Pupils whose first language is not English or believed not to be English: Achievement of 5 A*-C grades at GCSE, 2002-08*
Year¹	Number eligible	Number achieving	Proportion achieving (percentage)
2001-02	50,200	23,000	45.8
2002-03	51,700	24,800	48.0
2003-04	51,500	26,100	50.7
2004-05	51,300	28,100	54.8
2005-06	54,500	30,700	56.2
2006-07	55,800	32,500	58.2
2007-08	58,400	36,000	61.6
¹ From 2004/05 these figures are based on pupils at the end of key stage 4. Prior to this the figures were based on 15-year-olds. Source: National Pupil Database

Figures on pupils whose language is not English or believed not to be English are taken from Statistical First Releases on attainment and pupil characteristics, links to which are as follows:

2001-02 and 2002-03:

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000448/index.shtml

2003-04:

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000564/index.shtml

2004-05:

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000640/index.shtml

2005-06:

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000693/index.shtml

2006-07:

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000759/index.shtml

2007-08:

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

Volume 491: debated on Tuesday 21 April 2009