Teachers (Hansard, 19 December 1989)

§ 86. Mr. Barry Field
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps his Department is taking to encourage mature entrants, with practical work experience in other fields, to train as teachers.

§ Mr. Alan Howarth
The Department has a range of teacher recruitment measures, one of whose main aims is to increase the number of mature entrants to teacher training recruited from other careers. The teaching as a career unit (TASC) targets older people with special publications, and through its national and local advertising. In conjunction with ICI, the Department has run a well-subscribed programme of taster courses for people considering switching to a career in teaching, and the number of courses is being increased in 1990–91. We are also funding part-time and shortened courses of initial teacher training which take account of students' existing commitments and previous qualifications. The introduction of the licensed teacher route will also facilitate the entry into teaching of mature entrants.

§ 107. Mr. Key
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he plans to announce the next steps towards the introduction of new arrangements for determining the pay and conditions of teachers.

§ Mrs. Rumbold
My right hon. Friend is currently considering the views expressed by the six teacher unions and the employers at his meeting with them last month.

§ 101. Mr. Robert B. Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has available for the percentage of teachers leaving the profession each year in(a) the United Kingdom as a whole and (b) Hertfordshire.

§ Mr. Alan Howarth
Teachers in Scotland and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Figures for England and Wales and for Hertfordshire for the year ending 31 March 1987 (the latest available) are shown in the table.

Percentage of teachers in England and Wales and in Hertfordshire leaving full-time service in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools (MNPS)

Per cent.

Year ending 31 March 1987

England and Wales Hertfordshire

Percentage of teachers leaving full-time service in MNPS 7.7 8.6

of which:

transfers to other service, full or part-time, in the maintained sector¹ 1.3 1.1

transfers to teaching in the independent sector¹ 0.3 0.5

retirements and deaths 2.4 2.3

others² 3.7 4.6

¹ The Department's "Database of Teacher Records" does not provide complete coverage of the independent sector or of part-time service in the maintained sector, so these figures may be slightly under-stated.

² Many of these will be women withdrawing from teaching temporarily for family reasons.

Percentage of teachers in England and Wales and in Hertfordshire leaving full-time service in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools (MNPS)
Per cent.
	Year ending 31 March 1987
	England and Wales	Hertfordshire
Percentage of teachers leaving full-time service in MNPS	7.7	8.6
of which:
transfers to other service, full or part-time, in the maintained sector¹	1.3	1.1
transfers to teaching in the independent sector¹	0.3	0.5
retirements and deaths	2.4	2.3
others²	3.7	4.6
¹ The Department's "Database of Teacher Records" does not provide complete coverage of the independent sector or of part-time service in the maintained sector, so these figures may be slightly under-stated.
² Many of these will be women withdrawing from teaching temporarily for family reasons.