§ Mr. Buchanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland which organisations he consulted before issuing his draft circular on promoted posts in schools; which of these recommended the ending of a mandatory system; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Gordon CampbellThe names are given below of organisations which I consulted on the memorandum "The Structure of Promoted Posts in Secondary Schools in Scotland". None of these bodies recommended any departure from the proposal in the memorandum that a minimum number of promoted posts should be prescribed in regulations. The variety of views expressed as to the complements of promoted posts that would be appropriate for schools of different sizes and types led me, however, to the conclusion that it would be necessary to give education authorities a greater measure of discretion than the memorandum had suggested. This conclusion was 349W incorporated in the draft circular to which the hon. Member refers. I have consulted the same associations as before and am now considering their further observations.
The following organisations were consulted:
- Association of County Councils in Scotland.
- Scottish Counties of Cities Association.
- Education Authorities.
- Association of Directors of Education.
- Central Committee of the Grant-Aided Schools in Scotland.
- General Teaching Council for Scotland.
- Educational Institute of Scotland.
- Scottish Schoolmasters Association.
- Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association.
- Honours Graduate Teachers' Association
- Technical Teachers' Association.
- Headmasters' Association of Scotland.
- Association of Headmistresses (Scottish Branch).
- Scottish Further Education Association.
- Scottish Colleges of Education and Central Institutions.