§ Mr. StrawTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information is available to Her Majesty's inspectors as to the provision of advisory services, support and in-service training in each local education authority for(a) mathematics in primary schools and (b) science in primary schools; whether such provision is earmarked or specifically identifiable; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerThe information available to the inspectorate indicates that the provision of all these services varies widely in extent and quality. The vast majority of LEAs have advisers both for primary schools and for mathematics and science. Some have funds at their disposal and a small but growing number have the support of advisory teachers.
The practice of earmarking funds for the support of mathematics and science in primary schools also varies. It is for each LEA to decide how best to utilise the resources at its disposal, and to determine whether the provision is of appropriate quality.
Her Majesty's inspectorate is monitoring the operation of the LEA training grant scheme, and will report in due course upon specific aspects, including the extent to which it serves the needs of the national curriculum and makes reference to mathematics and science provision for primary schools.
§ Mr. StrawTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what specific grant provision has been made in each recent year to support provision or training related to(a) mathematics in primary schools and (b) science in 238W primary schools; and if he will publish a table showing the amount of such grants and the local education authorities involved in each year.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerSpecific grant has been available to support local education authorities' expenditure on the in-service training of teachers of mathematics since 1983, and of science since 1984. Total amounts of grant. which cover the training of teachers in primary and secondary schools, are as follows:
Mathematics teachers Science teachers DES circular £ million £ million 1983–84 2.1 — 3/83 1984–85 1.98 1.98 4/84 1985–86 1.98 1.98 3/85 1986–87 1.763 1.763 1/86 1987–88 3.85 3.85 6/86 11988–89 4.4 4.4 9/87 1 Estimated. Since the introduction of the LEA training grants scheme in 1987–88, LEAs have had discretion to supplement these amounts with grant from their allocations for local priorities. Allocations to individual authorities and details of the types of training attracting grant are included in the Department's circulars referred to above, copies of which are in the Library.