HC Deb 20 February 1978 vol 944 cc494-5W
Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children are educated at independent schools; and what were the equivalent figures for each of the years since 1960.

Miss Margaret Jackson

The information is as follows:

ENGLAND AND WALES
Full-time pupils Part-time pupils*
At January—
1960 496,807
1961 495,441
1962 494,959
1963 485,458
1964 469,343 10,834
1965 457,313 11,165
1966 448,824 11,901
1967 437,507 12,351
1968 422,287 14,303
1969 417,249 15,010
1970 413,788 13,696
1971 408,394 13,437
1972 409,075 13,234
1973 411,664 13,725
1974 419,343 13,201
1975 421,798 12,678
1976 414,756 11,690
1977 412,075 10,907
* Pupils under compulsory school age; information in respect of these pupils was not collected prior to 1964.
† Not available.