§ Mr. Steenasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why he will not consider introducing legislation to give discretion to local education authorities where there are shortages of teaching staff to allow school students to leave school on reaching their sixteenth birthday rather than waiting for the expiration of the term after they reach 16 years.
§ Mr. PrenticeThe present leaving dates ensure at least two full terms of schooling for all pupils in the final compulsory year. The change proposed would threaten disruption of classes and courses in the schools affected without necessarily bringing appreciable savings in staff.