HC Deb 18 July 1957 vol 573 cc1319-21
15. Mr. Beswick

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education how the percentage pass mark required for entry to grammar schools after this year's 11-plus examination in the north-west Middlesex division compares with that required for the remainder of the county; and what qualifications, other than examination results, were taken into account before deciding which of the marginal cases should be included in the grammar schol entry.

Sir E. Boyle

The qualifying mark in the written examination is the same for north-west Middlesex as for the rest of the county. In addition, school records, teachers' opinions and any exceptional circumstances are taken into account in marginal cases.

Mr. Beswick

In so far as the school records are all pretty much the same and all children receive a recommendation from the head teacher, does not the Parliamentary Secretary think that this process of selecting almost arbitrarily one or two out of the marginal cases was bound to lead to the unhappiness we have seen amongst parents and children since the last lot of examinations?

Sir E. Boyle

As I have said many times, we are doing all we can all the while to improve our methods of selection, and we are not afraid of experiments. Equally, it would be wrong to abandon the principle of selection because of the difficulties to which the hon. Gentleman has referred.

16. Mr. Beswick

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education the approximate percentage of children in England who sit for the 11-plus examination and who gain entry to grammar schools; and the comparative percentage of children who sat for this year's examinations in the north-west Middlesex division and the West Drayton schools, respectively.

Sir E. Boyle

In January, 1956, the proportion of thirteen-year-old pupils in England in grammar schools maintained and assisted by local education authorities, or in the grammar streams of bilateral or multi-lateral schools, or holding places at direct grant grammar schools or at independent schools for which local education authorities were responsible, was 20.1 per cent. The information asked for in the second part of the Question is not available.

Mr. Beswick

As a matter of fact, I did get some figures in a letter from the Parliamentary Secretary, though they referred to the year before. Would he not agree, if he makes further investigation, that the percentage coming from that part of Middlesex is much lower than the remainder of Middlesex or of the country? Would he look into the matter again and find the reason?

Sir E. Boyle

The corresponding figure for Middlesex as a whole was 25 per cent., as I think the hon. Gentleman knows. My noble Friend does not keep statistics for parts of local education authority areas, and I do not think it would be right to ask the local authorities to provide these.

17. Mr. Beswick

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Education the total number of grammar school places available within the northwest Middlesex division; and what percentage this represents of the total number of children who sat this year for the 11-plus examination.

Sir E. Boyle

This information is not available. Many children who live in the north-west Middlesex division attend grammar schools outside it.

Mr. Beswick

Nevertheless, there is a very strong feeling in Middlesex that why there is such a smaller percentage of children going to the grammar schools from this area is because grammar school places are not available in this district. If that is not the reason, there must be some other. Does not the Parliamentary Secretary think it worth while to look at the breakdown of these figures to discover what is the trouble?

Sir E. Boyle

We ought to be careful about sub-dividing a local authority area, since that would lead to all kinds of difficulties. When a particular local authority does not seem to have a sufficient share of grammar school places for the whole of the local authority area, then on numerous occasions—and I have quoted some in the House before now—we try to adjust the figure of the building programme. But to try to sub-divide an area for which a local authority is responsible would give rise to great difficulties.