§ Mr. P. Freemanasked the Minister of Education whether she can give any indication as to what special subjects are co be taught to children when the school-leaving age is raised to 16 years; and what provision is being made to train teachers for these additional duties.
§ Miss WilkinsonThe raising of the school-leaving age to 16 will naturally involve developments in the content of the curriculum. In shaping these developments, the schools themselves will properly have scope for enterprise and experiment and it is not my wish to lay down beforehand in any detail what special subjects should be taught. I have, however, arranged for this question to be examined by a panel of H.M. Inspectors who will advise me from time to time. No teachers are being trained specifically for work with the additional age groups, but courses of training for prospective teachers of secondary school pupils already include a study of the special needs of children up to the age of 16. These courses will be developed as more experience is gained of the requirements of modern secondary schools.