§ 56. Mr. Roweasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made towards his stated intention of improving initial teacher training; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThe Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education which my right hon. Friends set up in 1984 is carrying out a detailed review of all courses of initial teacher training in England and Wales against the criteria set out in the DES circular 3/84 (Welsh Office 21/84). Teacher training institutions are making considerable efforts to develop and adapt their courses in order to meet those criteria. At my right hon. Friend's request, the national advisory body conducted a detailed review of the distribution of teacher training intakes in the public sector of higher education following which my right hon. Friend has allocated intakes for 1986; similar action has been taken in Wales. The DES is now considering the allocation of public sector intakes in England for 1987–89 with a view to securing as high quality and cost-effective a system of initial teacher training as possible. In Wales, the Wales advisory body is undertaking a review of provision in the public sector before offering advice on the allocation of intakes for the period 1987–89. Initial teacher training in the universities for 1986 has been announced and university intakes for 1987–89 are now being considered by the University Grants Committee.
§ 58. Mr. Allan Robertsasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the current level of provision for the training of teachers working in special schools.
§ Mr. Chris PattenInformation is not yet available about the number of those undergoing in-service training in the current academic year. In the academic year 1984–85, 1,326 students took one year full-time (or part-time equivalent) courses concerned with special educational needs. Of these, 1,135 were teachers employed in maintained schools and in establishments of further education. One hundred and sixteen students were admitted to courses of initial teacher training for special educational needs in Autumn 1985 and target intakes to such courses in 1986 have been set at 123. In addition, a number of initial training courses for primary teachers contain substantial special education components.