HC Deb 21 November 1997 vol 301 cc339-40W
Sir Sydney Chapman

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what are the total number of(a) teaching, (b) head teacher and (c) deputy head teacher posts in the Greater London area in maintained (i) primary, (ii) secondary and (iii) special schools; and how many and what percentage of these are currently (1) vacant and (2) covered by (A) supply teachers and (b) those with short-term contracts. [16905]

Mr. Byers

The numbers of full-time teachers employed, vacancies and vacancy rates, in the Greater London area, as at 16 January 1997, in the maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools sector are shown in the table.

Nursery/primary Secondary Special
Head teachers1
Number of teachers2 2,200 460 160
Number of vacancies3 22 4 9
Vacancy rates (per cent.) 1.0 0.9 5.6
Deputy head teachers1
Number of teachers2 2,170 930 180
Number of vacancies3 59 9 7
Vacancy rates (per cent.) 2.7 1.0 4.0
Classroom teachers1,4
Number of teachers2 21,500 21,310 1,640
Number of vacancies3 366 221 54
Vacancy rates (per cent.) 1.7 1.0 3.3
1 The breakdown by grade has been estimated, based on the scale of which a teacher is paid.
2 Full-time teachers plus full-time secondments in maintained schools sector at 16 January 1997. Figures rounded to the nearest 10.
3Only those posts which were advertised at 16 January 1997 as full-time permanent posts or posts of at least one term's duration are counted as vacancies. Posts covered by temporary appointments on a contract of at least a term are not counted as vacant.
4 Excludes unqualified teachers.