Asked by: Earl of Courtown (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what they are doing to increase the number of students studying science, technology, engineering and maths subjects, in particular female students.
Answered by Lord Nash
Recent years have seen record numbers of pupils taking science and mathematics at GCSE and A level, with a rise of more than 30% in the number of students taking separate GCSEs in biology, chemistry and physics between 2010 and 2013. There has also been a 15% rise in the number taking mathematics and physics A level, and a 19% rise in the number taking further mathematics A level over the same period. Girls are now as likely as boys to take separate science GCSEs, but more needs to be done, particularly to address the low numbers of girls taking mathematics and physics A level.
The Government has taken action by: reforming the national curriculum and academic and vocational qualifications, to ensure that they enable young people to acquire the necessary knowledge and understanding to progress to further study and employment; recruiting top graduates into teaching by providing bursaries and scholarships in mathematics and the sciences of up to £25,000; supporting schools through professional development and enrichment programmes, such as the Stimulating Physics Network and the establishment of 32 maths hubs; and through the “Your Life” campaign which will change the perceptions of science and mathematics, with a communications campaign targeting 14-16 year olds being launched from September.
Asked by: Earl of Courtown (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many students take GCSEs and A-levels in Mandarin Chinese; and whether they plan to increase that number.
Answered by Lord Nash
It is not possible to identify pupils entered for Mandarin Chinese from the Department's data. However, the Department does hold information on the number of pupils entered for GCSEs and A levels in Chinese which includes Mandarin Chinese and other Chinese subjects.
In 2012/13, 2,346 pupils were entered for GCSE Chinese and 2,665 pupils were entered for A level Chinese. This information is published in the GCSE[1] and A level[2] statistical first releases.
My Rt hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has pledged to increase the number of people learning Mandarin Chinese in the UK. Offering more young people the chance to learn Mandarin will help in our efforts to encourage mobility between the UK and China, and help ensure the long-term success of our economy and society.
A number of organisations are carrying out activities with schools in support of these aims. The British Council is working with Hanban, the Office of Chinese Language Council International, to increase demand for Mandarin teaching in schools in the UK and to address supply, for example by increasing the provision of Chinese Language Assistants. The Institute of Education Confucius Institute is working with HSBC to promote more teaching of Mandarin in primary schools. The Department is taking a close interest in this work and providing encouragement and support at a high level.
[1]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/gcse-and-equivalent-results-in-england-2012-to-2013-revised (Subject time series table)
[2]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-level-and-other-level-3-results-england-2012-to-2013-revised (Table 2)