HC Deb 21 November 1979 vol 974 cc187-8W
Mr. Marlow

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his analysis of the reasons for the discrepancy between the percentage of school leavers from selective and from non-selective schools who enter university, as given in the reply to the hon. Member for Northampton, North, Official Report, 26 October, column 316.

Dr. Boyson

There are many factors underlying the differences between the figures given to my hon. Friend recently. For example, the widening difference in the percentages over time, in part, could be due to the fact that the changeover to comprehensive schools has proceeded at a slower rate for grammar schools, particularly those which are voluntary-aided, than for modern schools, with the result that the spread of abilities in selective schools taken together—that is, both grammar and modern—has become

ENGLAND AND WALES: TEACHING STAFF EMPLOYED BY LOCAL FDUCAIION AUTHORITIES IN THE MAINTAINED SCHOOL SECTOR (FULL-TIME AND FULL-TIME FQUIVALENT OF PART-TIME)
Thousands
Nursery, primary & secondary school sector Special school sector* Total: maintained school sector
(Feb)1960 279 5 284
(Feb) 1970 354 8 362
(Jan) 1977 462 18 480
(Jan) 1979 471 19 490
* Because of the transfer of responsibility in 1971 for the teaching of mentally handicapped children from local health authorities to local education authorities the figures for 1960 and 1970 in this column are on a narrower basis than those for 1977 and 1979.

Available information for teaching staff is as follows:
NON-TEACHING STAFF EMPLOYED BY LOCAL EDUCATION AUTHORITIES IN THE MAINTAINED SCHOOL SECTOR* (FULL-TIME AND FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT OF PART-TIME IN JANUARY 1977)
Advisers Admin. & Clerical ‡ Educational support Premises related Kitchen staff and mid-day supervisors Other† Total
3,600 47,200 49,300 79,300 139,400 16,500 335,300
* Including staff dealing with the administration and inspection of sectors of education other than schools (notably further education). Excluding (a) the local authority administration and technical staff who work in departments other than education; and (b) certain other staff such as groundsmen and some premises maintenance staff in respect of whom expenditure may be charged to educational departments.
† Including 1,700 catering staff in Boarding Special Schools.
‡ Employed in central offices 22,650
Employed in schools 22,250
Employed in the school meals service 2,300
47,200

biased towards the more able pupil. Among other factors are the socioeconomic background of the pupils and local attitudes to further education.