§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if his Department has issued any recommendations on the advisability or non-advisability of the formation of composite classes in urban primary schools; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Allan StewartNo. This is essentially a matter for individual education authorities. Composite classes are not inherently unsound educationally, if they are formed with432W due regard for the needs of the pupils concerned and if the work of each class is adapted to the needs of individual pupils—for example, by the use of group and individual methods.
§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many composite classes there have been in primary schools in each of the past three years; and how many such classes there were in the education divisions for Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen during the same period.
§ Mr. Allan StewartThe available information is as follows:
Composite Classes in Primary Schools September 1980 September 1981 September 1982 Scotland 4,350 4,536 4,569 Glasgow 369 436 418 Separate information for the Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen divisions of Lothian, Tayside and Grampian regions respectively is not readily available.