§ 1. Mr. Mossasked the Minister of Education whether he is aware that teachers are leaving secondary modern schools to secure the more adequate remuneration in secondary grammar schools, thus denuding the former of adequate teaching staff; and how he proposes to remedy this situation.
§ The Minister of Education (Sir David Eccles)I have no desire to prevent any teacher from securing an appointment in a grammar school. It is too early to say whether the movement from modern schools is of a size that calls for any special measures.
§ Mr. MossIs it not true that many secondary modern schools are inadequately staffed, that one secondary modern school is unable to open through inability to recruit staff, and that the bulge in the school population is approaching the secondary stage? Will not this new drain make the position very serious indeed?
§ Sir D. EcclesMy information is that the staffing of secondary modern schools is improving and the percentage of graduates in secondary modern schools is also increasing. However, I agree with the hon. Member that we shall have to watch the matter carefully. If he would like to send me particular cases of difficulty, I shall be grateful.