HC Deb 03 August 1911 vol 29 cc572-3
Mr. GOLDSTONE

asked whether the Incorporated Association of Assistant Masters in Secondary Schools, the Teachers' Guild, and the National Union of Teachers have jointly recommended that children should be transferred from elementary to secondary schools at about the age of twelve years; and whether the President of the Board of Education will refer the question of the age of transfer of children from elementary to secondary schools to the consultative committee of the Board for consideration and report?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

I can trace no such joint recommendation. The only resolutions on the subject from the Incorporated Association of Assistant Masters in Secondary Schools and the Teachers' Guild, which I can trace, are to an effect directly contrary to that suggested in the question. I will consider the proposal contained in the second part of the question.

Mr. GOLDSTONE

asked how many secondary schools in receipt of grants from the Board have preparatory departments, and how many children aged eight, nine, ten, and eleven years, respectively, were on the registers of these departments at the date of the last return made to the Board?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

It is not possible to answer the question with precision, because, as I endeavoured to explain in the answer I gave to my hon. Friend on 27th July, there is no definite connotation of the term "Preparatory Department" in relation to secondary schools. My hon. Friend will, however, find information as to the number of children under the age of twelve who are attending Grant-aided secondary schools in the tables on the subject published annually in the Statistics of the Board of Education.

Mr. RAFFAN

Is the policy of the Education Department to encourage children who occupy free places to enter secondary schools at a lower age than twelve?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

My desire is that children occupying free places should enter secondary schools at as early an age as possible.

Mr. RAFFAN

Are we to understand that that is the policy of the Department?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

I have expressed my own view, and I control the policy of the Department.