§ Mr. Gareth Wardellasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he w ill take steps to increase the proportion of Her 348W Majesty's inspectors of schools employed in Wales who have experience of teaching in primary schools; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsMy right hon. Friend has no plans to increase the proportion of Her Majesty's inspectors who have experience of teaching in primary schools.
In making appointments to the inspectorate a balance is sought between the requirements to cover all the main subject areas of instruction and phases of education. In addition to individuals appointed, who have experience of primary schools teaching, most of those who enter the inspectorate from teacher training posts have had regular contact with primary schools in their former posts and others have had experience of visiting primary schools as LEA advisers or officers. The great majority of Her Majesty's inspectors have acquired within the inspectorate substantial experience of primary schools through inspection visits.
§ Mr. Gareth Wardellasked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the most recent information relating to Her Majesty's inspectors of schools' reports on schools supplied to him in accordance with paragraph 7 of his Department's circular 11/83; and if he will make it his policy to publish all such information in future.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsIt is not the Department's policy to publish such information, which remains confidential to the Department and the local education authorities concerned. It would be for individual local education authorities in Wales to decide whether they would be agreeable to their response to reports made by Her Majesty's inspectors of schools being published.
§ Mr. Gareth Wardellasked the Secretary of State for Wales if any of Her Majesty's inspectors of schools in Wales have had no experience of teaching in schools.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsFive of Her Majesty's inspectors of schools in Wales have no experience of teaching in schools.