HC Deb 28 June 1962 vol 661 cc1345-7
22. Mr. Boyden

asked the Minister of Education why, when the training colleges were, on average, taking one-third more students than their official teaching capacity, the Gloucester, Totley Hall, F. L. Calder and Westminster training colleges took 183 fewer students during 1961–62 than their recognised teaching capacity.

Sir D. Eccles

The first two colleges have in the past regarded their teaching capacities as lower than the figures I sent the hon. Member on 7th June, but plan to increase their numbers in 1962–63. Of the last two colleges, one has fewer students in training now than in 1957–58 because of its change to new premises, the other because it did not admit students in 1961–62 in view of its impending closure.

Mr. Boyden

Would it not have been possible to take in more general studies students in all these colleges, and, if the staff was not adequate to deal with general studies—because it was a specialist staff—could it not have supervised some part of the extra students' training and made other arrangements for their more specialist teaching?

Sir D. Eccles

I have asked the colleges to "crowd-up." The hon. Member will realise that these are housecraft colleges and that the specialist rooms used for housecraft training are not very suitable for the purpose of "crowding-up". It is much easier with ordinary teacher training than where we require this specialist teaching equipment.

23. Mr. Boyden

asked the Minister of Education what special measures were taken by the Kingston-upon-Hull, Cardiff, Coloma, and Trent Park training colleges which enabled them to take twice as many students as their recognised teaching capacity during 1961–62.

Sir D. Eccles

These colleges, like many others, are making an intensive use of the available teaching facilities in anticipation of their enlargement under the expansion programme. Three of them are using temporary accommodation not reflected in the assessment of "teaching capacity".

Mr. Boyden

I agree with the Minister that this is very commendable, but why is it that, for example, when Trent Park was able to make arrangements for 50 detached students in Southend, practically none of the other training colleges in the area were interested in this kind of project?

Sir D. Eccles

I agree entirely with the hon. Member that exceptional measures should be taken by the training colleges, possibly by admitting more day students in order that in the next two years we may not lose candidates of good quality. I assure the hon. Member that we are doing all we can to encourage these developments.

Mr. Boyden

Cannot the Minister send out a circular stressing what Trent Park has done, and that kind of thing, so that imagination can be put into some of the principals?

Sir D. Eccles

I will see whether the example is one which I should send round to other colleges.