§ Mr. Win GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement explaining the calculations made to assess pupil-teacher ratios in(a) primary and (b) secondary schools, with particular reference to the method used for evaluating part-time pupils and part-time teachers.
§ Mr. RichardsThe same method of calculation applies to both primary and secondary maintained schools. Pupil-teacher ratios within schools are calculated by dividing the number of full-time equivalent pupils by the number of full-time equivalent qualified teachers.
The number of full-time pupils is calculated by adding half of the number of part-time pupils to the number of full-time pupils.
The number of full-time qualified teachers is calculated by dividing the total hours worked per week by part-time teachers by 32.5—the assumed number of hours in a full 84W week in maintained schools—and adding the number of full-time teachers.
The schools census held in January each year is the source of all information used in the calculations for PTRs within schools.
In the calculation of PTRs, teachers temporarily absent on census day are included; relief teachers taking their place are excluded. Teachers absent for long periods or seconded for other duties are excluded but their replacements are included. Peripatetic teachers are excluded.