Teaching Professions

HC Deb 17 December 1974 vol 883 cc1330-1

3. Mr. Spearing

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to encourage the entry of socially mature persons with experience of industry or commerce into the teaching professions; and what assessment he has made of the contribution of such persons to the education of adolescents.

Mr. Prentice

About one-third of new entrants to teaching in the schools are aged 25 or over, and in 19724.73 there were 14,000 re-entrants to the profession. The contribution of these mature persons in the schools is widely recognised. In further education some 80 per cent. of the new entrants are 25 or over and most of them have had industrial or commercial experience.

Mr. Spearing

I thank my right hon. Friend for that interesting information. Does he not agree that for people with industrial experience, whose use in schools, particularly on vocational courses, is greatly prized, to join the teaching profession after a year of professional training is a severe financial sacrifice? Does he not agree that this may prevent the coming into schools of certain people whose use would be even more valuable than many of those who are at present employed in our schools?

Mr. Prentice

I agree that persons with the experience my hon. Friend instances are of great value. He will know that colleges offer shortened courses to people with relevant experience or qualifications which, in the view of the colleges, make it possible for them to forgo the old courses normally expected of other entrants.

Dr. Boyson

Is the Secretary of State aware that many of us in schools thought that some of the best teachers who ever came into schools were those who were trained at the end of the war in emergency training schemes, and who were largely ex-Service men trained by people on secondment from the schools? Many of us believe that the raising of the school leaving age in 1949 was carried by those people. Is it not the lack of such people at present which accentuates the problems of the raising of the school leaving age?

Mr. Prentice

I am sure that the House will agree that many valuable members of the teaching profession have come into schools at all ages and with varying experience. We welcome the fact that we have coming into the schools a proportion of entrants aged 25 or over who have experience outside the education world.