§ Mr. Mossasked the Minister of Education whether he is aware that the number of pupils in maintained and assisted secondary schools will increase by 409,000 between 1958 and 1961 while the number of primary pupils will decline by 161W 301,000 over the same period; and what steps he is taking to improve the staffing position in secondary schools.
§ Sir E. BoyleYes. Quite apart from the measures my right hon. Friend is taking to increase the total output from the training colleges, these colleges have for some time been training a bigger proportion of their students for work in secondary schools. In recent years there has been a steady increase in the number of graduate teachers and this has been helped by special arrangements for deferment. Local education authorities are also encouraging teachers to transfer from primary to secondary schools.