asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has taken decisions on the numbers of students to be admitted to courses of teacher training in session 1978–79; and if he will make a statement.
I have carefully considered the latest available information on all the factors involved in determining levels of intake to teacher training courses in session 1978–79. I have also taken the views of the General Teaching Council for Scotland, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Joint Committee of Colleges of Education in Scotland on overall levels of intake for next session, the distribution of intake among the colleges and the priority to be given to individual subjects in the selection of students for secondary training.As a result, I have decided that the total intake to pre-service courses of teacher training should not exceed 700 students for the primary diploma course, 150 for the primary postgraduate course and 1,600 for secondary courses, including BEd courses. These figures take account of the provision which is made in the rate support grant settlement for 1978–79 and in the Government's expenditure plans for later years for the employment of more teachers than are required to meet the school staffing standards recommended in SED Circular No. 819 and the Red Book, and also of the extent to which staffing levels in the schools are already in excess of these standards.
Primary Intake | |||||||
Diploma | Post-Graduate | Secondary Intake | |||||
Quota | Proposed Quota | Quota | Proposed Quota | Quota | Proposed Quota | ||
College | 1977–78 | 1978–79 | 1977–78 | 1978–79 | 1977–78 | 1978–79 | |
Aberdeen | … | 75 | 100 | 20 | 20 | 170 | 210 |
Callendar Park | … | 65 | 55 | 10 | 10 | — | — |
Craigie | … | 55 | 50 | 10 | 10 | — | — |
Craiglockhart | … | 50 | 50 | 10 | 10 | 35 | 60 |
Dundee | … | 75 | 50 | 10 | 10 | 85 | 130 |
Dunfermline | … | — | — | — | — | 110 | 100 |
Hamilton | … | 85 | 60 | 10 | 15 | 30 | 25 |
Jordanhill | … | 130 | 120 | 45 | 30 | 640 | 545 |
Moray House | … | 115 | 125 | 30 | 25 | 380 | 350 |
Notre Dame | … | 100 | 90 | 25 | 20 | 200 | 180 |
Total | … | 750 | 700 | 170 | 150 | 1,650 | 1,600 |
I am required to consult the governing body of each college before issuing directions regarding the number of students of different categories to be admitted to the college. For session 1978–79 I am proposing to the colleges that the allocation of the total intake to pre-service courses of teacher training should be as in the following table, which also shows the quotas for session 1977–78 for comparison:
highest priority to applicants for admission to courses leading to a teaching qualification — secondary education — in business studies, mathematics, music, physics and technical education, and to give lowest priority to applicants for training in geography, history and modern studies. I am also suggesting to the colleges that they should consult the education authorities in their areas with a view to ascertaining whether any departures from this general advice might be necessary in the light of local school staffing needs.