Pupil-Teacher Ratios (Hansard, 27 October 1980)

§ Mr. Ernie Ross
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the latest available figures for each region and island authority and Scotland for (a) pupil-teacher ratios in both primary and secondary schools and (b) average class
12W
breakdown of the number out of work in Scotland by standard industrial classification; if he will provide a similar breakdown for registered job vacancies; and if he will publish a table showing the first set of figures as a ratio of the second set of figures.

§ Mr. Alexander Fletcher:
The following table gives the number of people registered as unemployed in Scotland on 14 August 1980 and the number of unfilled vacancies notified to employment offices and careers offices on 8 August—the latest dates for which analysis by industry are available. The vacancy figures do not purport to be a measure of all vacancies in the economy. Because of possible duplication between the vacancies notified to employment offices and careers offices, the two figures should not be added together and cannot therefore be used to provide the ratios requested.
sizes in both primary and secondary schools; and how these compare with the figures for the previous year.

§ Mr. Alexander Fletcher:
Information about pupil-teacher ratios and average class sizes derived from the September 1980 school census is not yet available. The following table gives the information 13W requested for education authority schools at September 1978 and 1979.

Pupil/Teacher ratios Average class sizes^*

Primary Secondary Primary Secondary

… 1978 1979 1978 1979 1978 1979 1978 1979

Borders … 19.1 18.3 14.1 14.2 22.2 21.9 17.8 18.2

Central … 20.0 19.7 14.5 14.2 23.9 23.1 19.6 19.2

Dumfries and Galloway … 20.2 19.2 14.2 14.2 23.1 22.3 18.4 18.7

Fife … 21.7 21.0 14.6 14.7 26.4 25.6 19.3 19.0

Grampian … 19.7 19.0 13.6 13.4 23.8 23.2 18.2 18.1

Highland … 19.7 19.1 14.5 14.0 21.8 21.5 18.3 18.1

Lothian … 19.7 18.9 13.9 13.5 23.4 22.5 19.0 18.2

Strathclyde … 22.9 21.3 15.1 15.0 26.3 25.1 20.3 20.0

Tayside … 21.1 20.3 14.0 14.0 24.1 23.5 18.2 18.6

Orkney … 18.0 17.3 12.8 13.0 21.1 20.6 15.1 15.0

Shetland … 17.3 16.8 12.9 13.2 20.0 18.3 16.2 15.3

Western Isles … 17.7 17.1 12.3 12.1 20.0 19.6 17.4 16.2

Scotland … 21.4 20.3 14.6 14.4 24.9 23.9 19.4 19.1

^* Based on a count of all classes in progress, including classes organised to provide remedial education, at a specified time during the week of the annual September school census

		Pupil/Teacher ratios	Average class sizes^*
		Primary	Secondary	Primary	Secondary
	…	1978	1979	1978	1979	1978	1979	1978	1979
Borders	…	19.1	18.3	14.1	14.2	22.2	21.9	17.8	18.2
Central	…	20.0	19.7	14.5	14.2	23.9	23.1	19.6	19.2
Dumfries and Galloway	…	20.2	19.2	14.2	14.2	23.1	22.3	18.4	18.7
Fife	…	21.7	21.0	14.6	14.7	26.4	25.6	19.3	19.0
Grampian	…	19.7	19.0	13.6	13.4	23.8	23.2	18.2	18.1
Highland	…	19.7	19.1	14.5	14.0	21.8	21.5	18.3	18.1
Lothian	…	19.7	18.9	13.9	13.5	23.4	22.5	19.0	18.2
Strathclyde	…	22.9	21.3	15.1	15.0	26.3	25.1	20.3	20.0
Tayside	…	21.1	20.3	14.0	14.0	24.1	23.5	18.2	18.6
Orkney	…	18.0	17.3	12.8	13.0	21.1	20.6	15.1	15.0
Shetland	…	17.3	16.8	12.9	13.2	20.0	18.3	16.2	15.3
Western Isles	…	17.7	17.1	12.3	12.1	20.0	19.6	17.4	16.2
Scotland	…	21.4	20.3	14.6	14.4	24.9	23.9	19.4	19.1
^* Based on a count of all classes in progress, including classes organised to provide remedial education, at a specified time during the week of the annual September school census