§ 7. Mr. Sorensenasked the Minister of Education the percentage of students at grammar schools who fail to complete their full course; and to what extent this has increased in recent years.
§ Sir E. BoyleThere has been a marked decline in recent years in the proportion of pupils leaving grammar schools before the age of 16. Details are contained in the answer given to the hon. Member for Morpeth (Mr. Owen) on 21st April.
§ Mr. SorensenWill the hon. Gentleman say what is to be done about this matter? Has there been an exhaustive inquiry into the various causes?
§ Sir E. BoyleThe hon. Member ought to recall the tendency for more and more pupils to stay at school till the age of 17 and 18. My right hon. Friend welcomes this change. The grammar schools today are increasingly recognising their responsibilities in the age in which we live, and the general position of our grammar schools today is extremely encouraging over the country as a whole.