§ 28. Mr. HARRISasked the President of the Board of Education whether the Board has considered ways and means of reducing the amount of clerical work in schools, and, if so, with what results; and whether, having regard to the improvement in school attendance, the Board has considered the possibility of modifying the present methods of registration of attendance in the direction of recording absences only instead of, as at present, both attendances and absences?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of EDUCATION (Duchess of Atholl)As regards the first part of the question perhaps my right hon. Friend may refer the hon. Member to the reply given by him on the 23rd February last to my hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Sir A. Holbrook), a copy of which I am sending him. As regards the second part, the Board have already considered the suggestion referred to, and my right hon. Friend would be inclined to consider it again if at any future time statistics of average attendance ceased to be a factor in the calculation of the Board's grants, but at present I fear that we cannot dispense with a high standard of accuracy in registration.
§ Mr. MARDY JONESIs the Noble Lady aware that schoolmasters and schoolmistresses generally complain that their time is being occupied at school in filling in forms instead of looking after the education of the children, and cannot something be done to arrange for such information to be given at other times than in school hours?
Duchess of ATHOLLIf the hon. Member looks at the answer to which I have referred, he will see that there has been a considerable reduction in the forms to be filled in.