§ 18. Mr. Charles Wardleasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any proposals to improve the level of initial teacher training for teachers of under-fives as a means of filling current teacher vacancies in nurseries and primary schools; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Chris PattenThe Government have given particular attention to the development of expertise in teaching children in the nursery and infant age ranges in their successive allocations of target intakes to public sector teacher training institutions. The provisional decisions on intakes in 1987–89, announced to the House on 14 May by my right hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, North-East (Sir K. Joseph) will further strengthen this provision.