§ 28. Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what investigations he is making into the possibilities of experiments with teams of teachers as a means of making the most efficient use of trained teachers in Scottish schools.
§ Mr. MaclayI am certainly anxious to see our teaching resources deployed to the maximum advantage. Teaching in secondary schools is already largely organised on a team basis, but I am sure that education authorities and head teachers will keep any further possibilities of this kind in mind.
§ Mr. ThomsonWill the Secretary of State, in consultation with the approate educational bodies, look more closely into some of the interesting experiments carried out in America and in some schools here in using large lecture groups for some lessons and small tutorial groups for others? Is he aware that they seem to have shown quite remarkable economies in manpower Where they have been tried?
§ Mr. MaclayI know that these experiments are extremely interesting and should be studied very carefully. Ultimately, I think, it is a matter for the directors of education and head teachers to decide how to follow them up, but I am glad that the hon. Gentleman has raised the question.