§ Mr. FatchettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects the national curriculum to be in operation in schools; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. RumboldIt is too early to set out a timetable. Decisions on the pace of the introduction of the national curriculum must take account of the advice contained in the report of the task group on assessment and testing, of the recommendations of the working groups for the foundation subjects and of the views of the curriculum councils and of those consulted as part of the statutory process. However, we intend, as a first step, to ask primary schools to ensure from September 1989 that pupils spend a reasonable time studying in the area of each foundation subject; and we expect the rest of the arrangements required by the national curriculum to be introduced incrementally, subject by subject, stage by stage, over a period of years, beginning in September 1989 with the introduction of attainment targets and programmes of study for maths and science for at least the first key stage of five to seven.
§ Mr. FatchettTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to publish figures indicating the number of teachers required to teach the national curriculum; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mrs. RumboldMy right hon. Friend has already said that the national curriculum will be introduced broadly within the existing level of resources. On overall teacher numbers, we are already planning for the pupil-to-teacher ratio to fall further from its present lowest ever level of 17.3:1 to reach a level of 17:1 by 1989. It is too early to come to precise estimates of numbers of teachers required for each foundation subject. More teaching time will be needed for some subjects, and less for others. Some redirection of teaching effort and measures to boost teacher numbers in particular subjects may be required, but not necessarily an increase in teacher numbers overall.