§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what conveniently available figures he has for the number of physics teachers' posts occupied by non-physicists.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThe latest available information is from a survey of a sample of maintained secondary schools in England carried out by this Department in 1984. It is estimated that there were then some 12,600 full-time teachers teaching physics. Seventy per cent. of these teachers had a higher education qualification including physics although not all had it as the main subject of a degree. The remaining 30 per cent. were responsible for 17 per cent. of tuition in the subject: the majority of these teachers had a higher education qualification in chemistry, engineering or general science.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many graduate physicists have applied to enter teacher training colleges for 1986; and what conveniently available comparative figures he has for 1983, 1984 and 1985.
§ Mr. Chris PattenBy 12 February, 245 applications to PGCE physics courses commencing this autumn had been received by the graduate teacher training registry.430W Totals for the corresponding dates in 1983, 1984 and 1985 were 521, 538 and 345 respectively. From September 1986 through the Department's bursary scheme, a tax-free sum of £1,200 in addition to the normal grant will be paid to encourage students to enter PGCE courses in physics as well as in mathematics and CDT.
§ Mr. Dalyellasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate he has made of the shortage of physics teachers; and on what basis his estimate was made.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThe most recent data supplied by local authorities indicate that 109 posts for physics teachers were unfilled in January 1985, while 11 newly trained teachers of the subject were known to be unemployed and still seeking a teaching post. The secondary staffing survey of 1984 indicated some improvement in the proportion of tuition by staff not qualified in the subject, at a time when physics slightly increased its share of the total timetable. However, the 1984 survey still showed an estimated 17 per cent. of physics tuition as being undertaken by teachers without a qualification in the subject, and the Government are aware of evidence that this proportion may be rising again. We ae also concerned about the recent shortfall in recruitment to initial training courses in physics, and the undoubted impact this will have on the output of newly trained teachers seeking posts in maintained schools.