§ Mr. Pawseyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state, for each year since 1964, for the whole of the United Kingdom (a) the percentage of secondary schools accounted for by grammar schools, (b) the average pupil-teacher ratio in secondary schools, (c) the level of per capita expenditure in secondary schools at constant 1986 prices and (d) the number of pupils achieving five or more higher grade passes at O—level or certificate of secondary education; and if he will give his assessment of the impact on these figures of the raising of the school-leaving age.
§ Mr. Dunn[pursuant to his reply, 3 December 1986, c. 626]: The available data for England are given in the table below. The effect of the raising of the school leaving age on these indicators is confounded with a multiplicity of other factors. It would not be possible to make any simple statement but I note with satisfaction the continuing increase in the proportion of pupils gaining qualifications.
Figures for schools in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
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Maintained Secondary Schools—England1 Percentage which were grammar schools2 Pupil/teacher ratio within secondary schools2 Net institutional recurrent expenditure per pupil £3 Percentage of school leavers with five or more higher4 grade passes at "O" level or CSE 1966 22 18.3 815 21.1 1967 21 18.1 825 22.0 1968 21 18.1 855 22.5 1969 20 17.9 845 22.7 1970 19 17.7 850 23.1 1971 18 17.9 865 23.5 1972 17 17.6 905 23.5 1973 16 17.1 965 5 1974 14 17.5 965 23.0 1975 12 17.2 1,115 22.6 1976 10 17.0 1,105 22.9 1977 8 17.0 1,085 23.5 1978 7 16.9 1,025 23.7 1979 5 16.7 1,040 23.7 1980 5 16.6 1,010 24.0 1981 4 16.6 1,070 25.1 1982 4 16.6 1,105 26.1 1983 4 16.5 1,102 26.2 1984 4 16.2 1,155 26.7 1985 4 16.1 1,185 26.9 1 Includes middle deemed secondary schools from 1969 onwards. 2 From the census of schools held in January of each year. From 1971 the pupil/teacher ratios take account of qualified teachers only. 3 The cash figures for each financial year ending in the years shown have been repriced to 1986–87 using the Gross Domestic Product (Market Prices) deflator. 4 Percentage of school leavers in academic year ending in years shown. From 1974–75 onwards "O" level grades A-C, CSE grade 1. Prior to 1974–75 "O" level examinations were graded pass or fail. 5 The raising of the school leaving age in 1973 affected the total number of school leavers, which was unusually low in 1972–73. Percentages are, therefore, unrepresentative and have been omitted.