HC Deb 11 July 1963 vol 680 cc1397-9
19. Dr. King

asked the Minister of Education if he will now give the names of the members of the Plowden Committee on Primary Education.

Sir E. Boyle

When the present Central Advisory Council under Mr. Newsom's chairmanship has completed its valuable work, I propose to reconstitute the Council to consider primary education in all its aspects. With permission, I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the names of those who have accepted my invitation to be members of the new Council.

Dr. King

Is the Minister aware that we were all glad of his assurance last week that this new committee would contain people with practical knowledge of primary education, and that some of us would wish to congratulate him on his initiative in setting up a committee to investigate primary education, a subject which has been neglected for many years, and on the quality of which the whole superstructure of education depends?

Sir E. Boyle

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his remarks. I agree with the purpose of them. Of the 23 members of the new Council, four will be practising school teachers, and the majority will have had direct experience of the educational system either as teachers, or administrators, inspectors or as university and teacher training teachers.

Mrs. Slater

Will the survey which the right hon. Gentleman's committee is to make into primary education include an investigation into the type of building that is required and the provision of adequate buildings, because it is obvious that this is a section of education which is sadly neglected at the moment, and unless it is properly provided for, it is no good providing it at the top of the scale.

Sir E. Boyle

The influence of the fabric will be within the Council's terms of reference. I think that it will draw conclusions from the large number of new primary schools built since the war as well. It is worth remembering that one quarter of all primary school children are in post-war buildings and that the proportion is rising all the time.

Mr. Driberg

But apart from the new schools, will the members of the new Council have the opportunity of seeing some of the disgraceful old schools, such as the one at Barking about which the right hon. Gentleman gave me a personal assurance, which I hope will be fulfilled?

Sir E. Boyle

I assure the hon. Gentleman that all schools will be within the purview of this Council.

The following is the list of members:

Lady Plowden (Chairman).

Mr. J. H. Newsom (Deputy Chairman), Director, Longmans Green & Co. Ltd., Present Chairman Central Advisory Council.

Mr. H. G. Armstrong, Educational Psychologist, West Riding.

Professor A. J. Ayer, Wykeham Professor of Logic, University of Oxford.

Mrs. M. Bannister, Housewife and Parent

Miss M. Brearley, Principal, Froebel Educational Institute.

Mrs. J, Campbell, Housewife and Parent.

Hon. Secretary, Richmond and Barnes Association for the Advancement of State Education.

Professor D. Donnison, Professor of Social Administration, London School of Economics.

Miss Z. E. Dix, Head Teacher, Field End Primary School, Middlesex. *Professor C. E. Gittins, Professor of Education, University College of Swansea, formerly Chief Education Officer, Monmouthshire.

*Miss S. E. Grey, Organiser for Infant Education, Glamorgan.

Mr. E. W. Hawkins, Head Master, Calday Grange County Grammar School for Boys, Cheshire.

Alderman P. Mursell, Chairman, West Sussex County Council.

Miss E. M. Parry, Inspector of Schools, Bristol. Vice-Chairman, National Nursery Examination Board.

Mr. A. Puckey, Assistant Teacher, Glapton Junior School, Nottingham.

Mr. T. Raison, Editor of New Society.

Mr. H, B. Rose, Director of Studies, Course in Industrial Financing, London School of Economics.

Alderman Mrs. E. V. Smith, Member and former Chairman, Birmingham Education Committee.

Mr. R. T. Smith, Head Teacher, Bampton C. of E. Junior Mixed and Infants' School, Oxfordshire.

Dr. J. M. Tanner, Reader in Child Health and Growth, University of London, Institute of Child Health.

Mr. T. H. Tunn, Director of Education, Sheffield.

Mr. H. Martin Wilson, Secretary for Education, Shropshire.

Dr. M. Young, Chairman, Advisory Centre for Education.

Mr. M. Kogan (Ministry of Education) will be Secretary of the Council.

* Welsh Members.