HC Deb 29 April 1913 vol 52 cc986-7
36. Mr. NEWDEGATE

asked the number of elementary school teachers who are debarred from becoming head teachers because, although otherwise qualified, they have not received education at a training college?

Mr. PEASE

There are about 2,160 certificated teachers who are not at present eligible to become head teachers of ordinary public elementary schools because they have not completed satisfactorily the course of training approved by the Board under the Regulations for the Training of Teachers for Elementary Schools. These Regulations make special provision for the admission of such teachers for a one or two years' course of training according to length of service, and I have reason to hope that a considerable number of them are likely to take advantage of it.

Mr. SNOWDEN

Does the right hon. Gentleman remember that about a year ago he gave me to understand that the prohibition by which those teachers were prevented from becoming head masters would be removed?

Mr. PEASE

My remarks then had reference to teachers certificated before 1910, but we have power in the Board of Education to allow any of those teachers to become head masters in small schools with attendances of forty; but under our Regulations we believe it is necessary that they should be trained before they become head masters in the larger schools.

Mr. TOUCHE

Have the Board of Education no longer reserved the power to require head teachers to have a college training if certified before August, 1910?

Mr. PEASE

If certified before 1910 they are admitted, but those subsequent to that date are not admitted.

Mr. TOUCHE

Does that mean that the paragraph to which the Association of Teachers object—paragraph 9 of Circular 709—is practically withdrawn so far as teachers certified before that date are concerned?

Mr. PEASE

I should like to have notice of that.