§ 4. Mrs. Whiteasked the Minister of Education what are the results of the researches which his Department has undertaken into the number of schools unable to retain pupils for a fifth year of secondary education owing to shortage of staff or inadequate premises or both.
§ Sir D. EcclesOur researches show that the limiting factor is most commonly the shortage of specialist teachers particularly in mathematics, science and the practical subjects. These and other facts are shaping policy for teacher supply and school building.
§ Mrs. WhiteCannot the right hon. Gentleman be a little more specific? Cannot he tell us how many schools are in this situation where they are unable to take children either for the reason which he has given, the shortage of staff, or for any other reason? We had this Question about a year ago and the right hon. Gentleman undertook to make research into it.
§ Sir D. EcclesIt would be impossible to answer such a question because, from time to time, one school gets short of staff and then another one. We know that for the teaching of the older children in secondary modern schools we need this kind of teacher in greater supply.
§ Mrs. WhiteWould not the right hon. Gentleman agree that unless he can be more specific and give us something of the dimensions of this problem, he cannot tell us how far his policy of children voluntarily remaining at school after the age of 15 is succeeding or failing?
§ Sir D. EcclesIt is quite impossible to tell how far a policy of voluntary staying at school is succeeding except by counting those children who, in fact, stay.