asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the present staffing position in nursery, primary and secondary schools in the Rotherham borough; if she regards this as unsatisfactory or below average; and if pupil-teacher ratios in Rotherham have been improving at or above the average rate.

PUPIL/TEACHER RATIOS WITHIN MAINTAINED SCHOOLS (January of each year)*
							Nursery	Primary†	Secondary†
Rotherham
1974	…	…	…	…	…	…	18·8	25·3	17·9
1975	…	…	…	…	…	…	18·2	24·7	17·6
1976	…	…	…	…	…	…	19·7	24·3	17·5
1977	…	…	…	…	…	…	19·3	24·5	17·3
1978	…	…	…	…	…	…	19·3	24·3	17·2
Average for England
1974	…	…	…	…	…	…	22·5	24·9	17·5
1975	…	…	…	…	…	…	21·6	24·2	17·2
1976	…	…	…	…	…	…	21·1	24·0	17·0
1977	…	…	…	…	…	…	20·8	23·9	17·0
1978	…	…	…	…	…	…	20·7	23·6	16·9
* Includes only qualified teachers.
†Includes middle schools as deemed.

It is difficult to make valid comparisons of the average pupil-teacher ratios within schools either between one authority and another or against the national average. Differences in the age ranges of pupils, sizes of schools, arrangements for the education of 16- to 18-year-olds in either secondary schools or further education colleges, and the development of middle school systems are all significant variables.