HC Deb 10 June 1986 vol 99 cc158-9W
Mr. Teddy Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many letters he has received from the general public about the resources available for the general certificate of secondary education examination.

40. Mr. Alton

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations has he received about the proposed funding for the general certificate of secondary education.

Mr. Chris Patten

Since the beginning of the year, the Department has received about 900 letters from parents, teachers and school governors about the resources available for the GCSE examination. In addition, representations have been received from 15 local education authorities and the four GCSE examining groups in England.

41. Mr. Stott

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received in the past month from local education authorities about the introduction of the general certificate of secondary education examination.

Mr. Chris Patten

Since the beginning of May, the Department has received representation from 10 local education authorities about the GCSE. about the timing of its introduction and resources for books and equipment.

47. Mr. Harris

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will report on the latest progress on the introduction of the general certificate of secondary education examination.

Mr. Chris Patten

The Secondary Examinations Council had approved 261 GCSE syllabuses by the end of May. This virtually completes the programme for the approval of syllabuses. The examination groups have already circulated many of the approved versions and they aim to distribute the remainder shortly.

The national programme of in-service training for teachers has been under way for some time. Further funds have been provided to the GCSE examining groups to enable them to mount additional training seminars for those subject representatives who have so far failed to attend them. We have also allowed schools to close to pupils for two days in the summer term so that teaching staff may undertake more GCSE in-service training than would otherwise be possible. From September there will be a further phase of training prepared by the GCSE examining groups devoted to specific syllabuses chosen by teachers.

As announced by my right hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, North-East (Sir K. Joseph) on 12 May at columns 325–328. we shall be supporting £20 million of expenditure by education support grant to help secondary schools purchase additional books and equipment for the GCSE.