HC Deb 07 November 1929 vol 231 cc1234-5
55. Captain P. MACDONALD

asked the President of the Board of Education whether any, and if so, what steps are being taken to ensure that the supply of trained teachers shall be sufficient to meet the demand which will be created by raising the school-leaving age to 15?

Sir C. TREVELYAN

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to Paragraph 10 of Circular 1404, of which I am sending him a copy. The invitation which I issued to the training colleges to secure an in creased number of admissions has met with a satisfactory response. When I am more fully informed of the needs of the local authorities for teachers of various types under the new conditions I shall be in a better position to consider the need for any further steps.

Mr. BEAUMONT

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the National Union of Teachers consider that Paragraph 10 is utterly inadequate to supply the needs?

Sir C. TREVELYAN

I have reason to know that that is not their opinion.

Mr. BEAUMONT

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us how he knows?

Mr. SPEAKER

The Minister has already answered the question on the Paper.

61. Mr. EDE

asked the President of the Board of Education what steps he has taken or is taking to establish secondary standards of staffing and equipment in schools for children over the age of 11 coming at present or to be established under the elementary regulations; and whether any instructions have been issued recently to His Majesty's Inspectors for their guidance when discussing with local education authorities preliminary plans for new school buildings for children over 11 years of age?

Sir C. TREVELYAN

Beyond such standards as are implicit in the limitation of classes for senior pupils to not more than 40, I have refrained from imposing standards, because I am anxious to leave authorities free to experiment with what is largely a new problem. As regards premises and equipment authorities are, I think, already aware of my desire to see, amongst other things, a generous provision of space for practical instruction and for recreation, and a liberal equipment of books.