To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many Barnet schools were recently commended by the chief inspector of schools. [14683]

Five Barnet schools were commended in the chief inspector's annual report.

Will my hon. Friend join me in congratulating the head teachers, pupils, parents and staff of those schools? Does he find it significant that the three secondary schools that were commended were single-sex schools? Does he agree that one of the factors in the great education service in Barnet is the ethos created during 30 years of Conservative control of that borough?

First, I willingly join my hon. Friend in congratulating all the schools in Barnet that he has identified. I am sure that he will understand if I extend my congratulations to the other schools identified in the chief inspector's report and, as it gives but a snapshot of the year, to the many good schools throughout the country that were not identified in the report but, year in, year out, deliver good-quality education through the hard work of teachers.