§ Mr. SpearingTo ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to quantify the increase of time devoted by voluntary governors of primary and secondary schools respectively consequent on(a) increased responsibilities arising from local management of schools and (b) further requirements of time on governors of grant maintained secondary schools.
§ Mr. ForthA survey carried out by the National Foundation for Educational Research in 1990 found that the average amount of time spent by governors on their duties was 10 hours a term rising to 20 hours for heads and 30 for chairmen. There was no substantial difference between primary and secondary school governors, and it is not evident that more governor time is necessarily needed in a grant-maintained school.
I pay tribute to the many parents, teachers, and others who voluntarily give of their time to run their local schools.