§ 38. Mr. Trippierasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many people currently attending teacher training colleges are training to teach history.
§ Dr. Boyson: In the academic year 1977–78, the latest year for which complete information is available, 2,814 non-graduate students in England and Wales were studying history as a main subject in three- and four-year courses of initial training in preparation for teaching pupils in the secondary or middle years of schooling. Of the total, 587 were first year students, the majority of whom will now be in the third year of the course.
In addition the following numbers of history graduates are in the current academic year undertaking one-year postgraduate courses of training for teaching the subject to pupils of secondary age :
In university departments of education 510 In non-university institutions 420