§ 26. Mr. Longdenasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether teaching in a direct grant school counts towards the necessary period of one year's probation.
§ Mrs. Shirley WilliamsYes, other than teaching in direct grant grammar schools, where probation is not a condition of employment.
§ Mr. LongdenI thank the Minister of State for that reply. What justification is there for that?
§ Mrs. WilliamsThis does not mean that it is not possible to take teaching 2460 in direct grant grammar schools into account. It simply means that, because probation is not itself a condition of employment in direct grant grammar schools, we cannot equally require that it should be a condition by which probation is satisfied.