DOCUMENT I S T H E P R O P E R T Y O F H E R BRITANNIC M A J E S T Y ' S G O V E R N M E N T
C P ( ? 2 ) 136
COPY NO
&
y
­
28 N o v e m b e r 1972
CABINET
W H I T E P A P E R ON E D U C A T I O N A L P O L I C Y IN S C O T L A N D
M e m o r a n d u m by the S e c r e t a r y of State f o r S c o t l a n d
1.
On 3 O c t o b e r the H o m e and S o c i a l A f f a i r s C o m m i t t e e c o n s i d e r e d and
e n d o r s e d , s u b j e c t to c o n s i d e r a t i o n of the e x p e n d i t u r e i m p l i c a t i o n s , t h e
s t r a t e g y f o r t h e d e v e l o p m e n t of t h e e d u c a t i o n s e r v i c e s in S c o t l a n d s e t out
i n m y 1972 P r o g r a m m e A n a l y s i s and R e v i e w ( P A R ) R e p o r t on H i g h e r
E d u c a t i o n and S c h o o l s E x p e n d i t u r e .
The Committee agreed that my
s t r a t e g y s h o u l d b e a n n o u n c e d i n a s e p a r a t e White P a p e r and I a m c i r c u l a t i n g
w i t h t h i s m e m o r a n d u m a d r a f t White P a p e r for c o n s i d e r a t i o n .
2.
F o r t h e r e a s o n s s e t out i n p a r a g r a p h 3 of C P ( 7 2 ) 133 I a m p u t t i n g
t h i s d r a f t P a p e r d i r e c t to C a b i n e t ,
It h a s n o t b e e n c o n s i d e r e d b y H o m e
and Social Affairs C o m m i t t e e .
3.
T h e m a i n f e a t u r e s of the s t r a t e g y a n n o u n c e d i n the P a p e r for t h e
d e c a d e to 1982 a r e :
T h e r e s t r i c t i o n of the e x p a n s i o n of h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n to
a
m a i n t a i n only t h e p r e s e n t l e v e l of o p p o r t u n i t y for q u a l i f i e d s c h o o l ­
l e a v e r s in S c o t l a n d (now s u b s t a n t i a l l y b e l o w t h e full opportunity­
r a t e e n v i s a g e d in the R o b b i n s R e p o r t ) .
0
b.
A p r o g r a m m e of e x p a n s i o n for n u r s e r y e d u c a t i o n w h i c h w i l l
e n a b l e n e a r l y 40 p e r c e n t of p r e - s c h o o l c h i l d r e n t o r e c e i v e s o m e
f o r m of e d u c a t i o n by 1976-77 and w h i c h w i l l c o n t i n u e t h e r e a f t e r
u n t i l e x p e c t e d p u b l i c d e m a n d i s m e t ; the p r o g r a m m e to b e s t e e r e d
in i t s i n i t i a l s t a g e s t o w a r d s a r e a s of u r b a n d e p r i v a t i o n .
c.
T h e m a i n t e n a n c e of a s c h o o l b u i l d i n g p r o g r a m m e at b r o a d l y
i t s p r e s e n t l e v e l t h r o u g h o u t t h e d e c a d e with i n c r e a s i n g e m p h a s i s
on r e p l a c e m e n t and r e n o v a t i o n of o l d e r s c h o o l s f r o m 1975-76
o n w a r d s ; and t h e e x p a n s i o n of the b u i l d i n g p r o g r a m m e f o r s p e c i a l
s c h o o l s to 1 9 7 6 - 7 7 .
d.
An i n c r e a s e in the a l l o c a t i o n of r e s o u r c e s f o r b o o k s and
educational equipment.
1
e.
T h e i m p r o v e m e n t of the p u p i l t e a c h e r r a t i o in p r i m a : y
s c h o o l s to 24:1 and i t s s t a b i l i s a t i o n t h e r e a f t e r with the r e s t r i c t i o n s
of i n t a k e to t r a i n i n g t h i s w i l l e n t a i l .
T h e i m p r o v e m e n t of p u p i l
t e a c h e r r a t i o in s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s t o a l e v e l of 15:1 - p r o b a b l y by
1977-78 " a n d i t s s t a b i l i s a t i o n t h e r e a f t e r ,
f.
T h e d i v e r s i o n of r e s o u r c e s t o t h e d e v e l o p m e n t of a f o r c e of
t e a c h i n g a u x i l i a r i e s to r e l i e v e t e a c h e r s in p r i m a r y and s e c o n d a r y
s c h o o l s of n o n - p r o f e s s i o n a l d u t i e s .
T h e e x p e n d i t u r e i m p l i c a t i o n s of t h i s p r o g r a m m e h a v e b e e n a c c e p t e d by
T r e a s u r y M i n i s t e r s u p to 1 9 7 6 - 7 7 .
Thereafter the p r o g r a m m e has been
f r a m e d and e x p r e s s e d in t e r m s w h i c h a l l o w f l e x i b i l i t y in i t s i m p l e m e n t a t i o n
as r e s o u r c e s p e r m i t .
If the p r o g r a m m e w e r e i m p l e m e n t e d in full t h e
r a t e of g r o w t h on e d u c a t i o n s e r v i c e s in S c o t l a n d w o u l d , o v e r t h e d e c a d e , be
l e s s than 3 p e r cent p e r annum.
4,
T h e p r o p o s a l s m a d e in t h i s P a p e r f o r S c o t l a n d differ in s o m e
There
r e s p e c t s f r o m t h o s e m a d e in C P ( 7 2 ) 133 for E n g l a n d and r / a l e s .
h a s , h o w e v e r , b e e n c l o s e c o n s u l t a t i o n and t h e d i f f e r e n c e s a r e n o g r e a t e r
than c a n b e j u s t i f i e d by the d i f f e r e n t e d u c a t i o n a l s y s t e m s and c o n d i t i o n s .
5.
T h e p r o p o s a l s in t h i s White P a p e r w i l l , I b e l i e v e , b e g e n e r a l l y
r e g a r d e d in S c o t l a n d a s g e t t i n g the p r i o r i t i e s r i g h t a n d I a s k m y c o l l e a g u e s
to a g r e e t h a t i t s h o u l d n o w b e p r i n t e d f o r p r e s e n t a t i o n to P a r l i a m e n t on
W e d n e s d a y 6 D e c e m b e r 1972.
G C
S c o t t i s h Office
28 N o v e m b e r 1972
2
EDUCATION POLICY Presented to Parliament by the
Secretary of State for Scotland
by Command of Her Majesty
December 1972
LONDON HER MAJESTY"S STATIONERY OFFICE p net Crando CONTENTS Paragraph
1,
INTRODUCTION
2.
HIGHER EDUCATION
3.
THE SCHOOLS SYSTEM
(ii)
The Under Fives
28,
(iii)
School Building
43*
Supply of Books and Educational Equipment
52.
Teachers and Auxiliary" Staff
55*
(v)
t
7.
16.
(iv)
e
­
Introduction
(i)
L
1.
EXPENDITURE IMPLICATIONS
66.
1,
1
C
INTRODUCTION
In the last quarter of a century the demands on the education services have
been very great.
The influence - and the sanctions - of the family and of
traditional institutions like church and school have been challenged by powerful
and persuasive new forces.. At the same time the physical environment in which
young people grov; up has been affected by technological change, the momer.tum of
which continues^
The accepted standards vrhich hitherto guided the aims of education
have had to be questioned and re-appraised and the objectives of the educational
system and the content, of its curricula have required searching study to discover
how schools, colleges and universities might besi equip young people for adult
life in tho changed structure of society and for work in the modern economy.
2,
In this difficult environment there has been a steady advance in educational
standards.
This has been achieved partly by the diversion of a larger share of
national resources to the education service.
In the schools the supply of both
primary and s?ccndary teachers has increased,class sizes have been reduced,
unqualified teachers have been eliminated, in-service training has been developed,
and the minimum leaving age has been raised to 1*3.
The opportunities for young
people to participate in post school education in all its variety have been greatly
expanded, and there has been an unprecedented growth over the past 25 years in the
number and diversity of Scottish institutions and in the numbers of students taking
courses in them.
3.
Additional resources by themselves are not enough;
and in the schools particularly advance in educational standards has also owed much to a thorough revision of the content of primary and secondary education both in its broad educational intent and in the academic content of the subjects that are taught. it
For long, Scottish schools have properly been conscious of the opportunities
they have provided for the academically able. The advances of the past 25 years
have done much to extend to all young people similar opportunities to develop
fruitful and fulfilled lives. The standards which have always guided the
attitudes and the "work of Scottish teachers and educationists in their care P.I&
development of able children, are now being applied in bhe education of all young
people.
5.
The purpose of this White Paper Is to outline further improvements in the
quality of the educational system in Scotland;
improvements for -which the changes
of recent years provide a solid foundation, and to set out a strategy for the use
to their best effect of the resources that are likely to be available for the
education service in the 1970's.
It describes proposals for t^e improvement of
teaching and teaching resources of all kinds in primary and secondary schools.
It'announces the Governments intention to extend the educational process dowm/ards
to encompass a corsiderable proportion of children of pre-school age, and it
contemplates the further expansion of higher education throughout the decade along
lines first drawn in the Robbins Report*. The sectors of the education system for
vhich policies are outlined in this Paper account for the major part of public
expenditure on education in Scotland.
Other parts of the education system, of which
the largest is non-advanced further education, are not discussed. In these, either
it is anticipated that development will continue in line with existing policies,
or policy decisions cannot yet be taken;
(for instance, the Government arrait the
report of the Alexander Committee on Adult Education).
6.
In presenting this programme, the Government is conscious that it provides only a framework within which education authorities, teachers, colleges of education and all others - not least parents - concerned with the educational provision that is made for children and young people, will have to contribute, whether as institution; or as individuals, to the translation of policy into effective action. "Report of the Committee on Higher Education. Cmnd. 2154- HMSO 1963
2.
7.
HIGHER EDUCATION Higher education* in Scotland is provided in four distinct types of institution. The eight Scottish universities, like other universities in Great Britain, are financed through the University Grants Committee and are within the Ministerial responsibility of the Secretary of State for Education and Science.^' The ten colleges of education and the ten central institutions are each administered by a Board of Governors but are financed directly by the Secretary of State.*** The colleges of education are mainly, though not exclusively, concerned with the training of graduates and school leavers for teaching. The central institutions are essentially teaching institutions and provide advanced courses, in many cases directly vocational in purpose, leading to degrees of the Council for National Academic Awards or to college diplomas. They have strong links with industry and with commerce. Finally, there are certain colleges of further education run by education authorities, such as Napier College of Science and Technology in Edinburgh and the Glasgow College of Technology, which provide mainly advanced courses, some leading to degrees of the Council for National Academic Awards. 8,
The development of the higher education system in Scotland, as in England and Wales, has been determined by acceptance of the "Robbins" principle that courses of higher education should be available for all those who qualified by ability and attainment to pursue them, and also by the steady increase in the numbers of qualified school leavers. In relation to the higher education system in Scotland (with the exception hitherto of the colleges of education) the term "qualified leaver" is taken to mean a person who has obtained at school or in further education three or more passes on the Higher grade of the Scottish Certificate of Education - regarded as equivalent to two or more passes at Advanced level in the General Certificate of Education.
(The minimum qualifications for entry to the *In this Paper the term "higher education" is used in the same sense as in the Robbins
Report (Higher Education: Crand 2 1 5 4 - 19&3) to cover the work of universities and
colleges of education, and also of central institutions and further education colleges
as far as. the last two are concerned with advanced courses.
**The Government's policies for the universities are contained in
Cmnd
- 1972 presented by the Secretary of State for Education and Science, and
published simultaneously with this White Paper,
***There are also three colleges of agriculture financed by the Secretary of State through the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, which provide some of the courses of higher education. course of teacher training at "colleges of education which is available to
NJINCITIAL
school leavers are being raised TO three passes on the Higher grade fron October
197k; I N practice this standard
a
HAS
already
BEEN
achieved,)
The number of qualified leavers in Scotland has grown strikingly from some 5,800
in 1960-61 to about 15,300 in 1970-71 and a statistical projection of this trend
suggests that the number of qualified leavers might increase to over 27,000 by 1 $80-81.
Sot all qualified leavers, however, become candidates for higher education;
a
significant proportion chooses otherwise and goes straight into employment.
This
nuaber is only partly balanced by entrants to higher education who have other
qualifications. And in other respects too, the capacity of the higher education fiystem
lanriot be exactly related to the numbers of qualified leavers from Scottish schools.
All the institutions - and particularly the universities - have students who are not
"cots; moreover, the universities provide places for older students engaged in post­
graduate work and, similarly, a substantial proportion of the population in the
colleges of education consist- of graduates taking teacher training,
The nature of
the relationship between the number of qualified school leavers and the provision of
places for higher education is therefore a complicated one, determined by a variety
of factors.
10. Nevertheless, it is evident from the figures given above that a substantial
expansion of the Scottish higher education system will be required
DURING
the next
DECADE.
In 1961-62 the full time student population in higher education was some
29,700;
in 1971-72 it had risen to almost 61,500 (37,600 in universities, 14,850 in
colleges of education, and 9-000 in institutions of advanced further education) * The
GOVERNMENT'3
TAKE
aim is to make possible further expansion in higher education that will
account of the prospective increase in the output of qualified school leavers
and will meet the likely demand for higher education from qualified applicants.
11. Scottish universities, in addition to providing professional education (in law,
MEDICINE,
veterinary.science etc.) and honours degrees in various subjects, have by
TRADITION
provided a broadly based higher education through the ordinary degree course
Wi Arts, The Scottish ordinary degree course represents a natural extension into
univeristy education of the Scottish secondary school curriculum.
Insofar as there is a demand for general rather than specialised courses of higher education - and it
accordingly
may prove to be a growing demand - the Scottish universities are/well placed to
contribute to meeting it. The Government will keep in mind this special characteristic
of the Scottish universities and the distinctive place which they occupy in the Scottish
higher educa+do" system.
In the light of the advice of the University Grants Committee
they are satisfied that the target of student numbers for Great Britain for the
1972-77 quinquennium can be achieved without adding to the number of universities.
The Committee however intend in due course to advise the Government whether, in its
view, an early decision in principle will need to be made to establish one or more
universities to be active sometime in the 1980's.
12.
The non university institutions play a complementary role that is increasingly
important, and it is estimated that to enable them to do so over the years until 158
there should be by that date about 45,000 places in the institutions of higher
education outside the universities. The nature of this expansion is likely to show
some variation from the pattern over the past decade. It seems likely that the
teaching profession will in future require a smaller proportion than hitherto of
the output of the higher education system and therefore no significant further
expansion is required in the next decade in the colleges of education, the capacity
of which more than doubled in the 10 years from 1961-1971.
13.
On the other hand, there will be a continuing steady expansion of the central
institutions, and a substantial growth in the number of places for students taking
advanced courses in the further education colleges provided by education authorities.
An increasing number of these colleges will provide advanced courses, and a few may
be expected eventually to become wholly institutions of advanced further education.
The Government does not foresee any change in the present arrangements for administerin
and financing central institutions, but it recognises that the development of local
authorifcycolleges and their expansion in advanced further education will have to be
carefully co-ordinated with provision of courses in central institutions to ensure that
there is no unnecessary duplication of provision, .
1L.,
I t
i s
tlie
G o v e r n m e n t ' s
should
c o n t i n u e
aspect
o f
s u b j e c t s
a
a p p l i e d
p r e p a r a t i o n
o f f e r
and
t h e
i n c r e a s e d
new
have
cojaiuui-CK,
as
text:-i 3s
t o
s c i e n c e ,
e n g i n e e r i n g ,
t e a c h i n g
which
s c a l e .
However,
t o
meet
t h e
t h e
f r e s h
e d u c a t i o n
n a t u r e
o f
courses
c a r e e r
p r o s p e c t s
The
t h e
s t a r t
b u i l d i n g
I n
a d d i t i o n ,
e d u c a t i o n
b e
numbers
o f
f o r
t h e
w h i c h
o f
p l a n s
f o r
t o
t o
higher'
e x p e c t e d
o f
a n d
t h e
to
some
w e i g h L i u g
i n
such
music
though
d e v e l o p
on
i n
t h e
w i l l
r e l e v a n c e
w i l l
a
as
c o n t i n u e
t o
c o n s i d e r a b l y
a d d i t i o n
t e c h n o l o g y ,
a s
( o f t e n
management,
I n s t i t u t i o n s
p r o v i d e d ,
e d u c a t i o n
r e l e v a n c e
s c i e n c e ,
b u s i n e s s
c o n s i d e r a t i o n
c e n t r a l
i n s t i t u t i o n s
v a l u e
v a l u e
o f
o f
e d u c a t i o n
e x p a n s i o n
i n
these
M o r e o v e r ,
f r e s h
urohouuufed
u.
commerce,
t o
f u r t h e r
s p e c i f i c
d o m e s t i c
a d v a n c i n g
a u t h o r i s e
a
w i t h
advanced
a n d
t o
a
v a r i e t y
o f
r e s p o n d
numbers
o f
y o u n g
people
have
b e
g i v e n
t o
o f
t o
t h e s e
c o u r s e s
t o
t h e
the
them,
t h e
t c
w i t h
e x p e c t e d
f o l l o w
t a k i n g
b i a s ,
d e c a d e ,
s o c i e t y .
t h e y
a d d i t i o n a l ,
s t u d e n t s
be
i n
a r t ,
h i t h e r t o
may
i n c r e a s e ,
p r o j e c t s
i n
have
r e q u i r e m e n t s
p r o p o s e d
p l a c e s
n e x t
courses
a n d
s u b j e c t s ) ,
t h e
t h e y
p r o j e c t s
i s
c o l l e g e
f o r
resources
i t
they
t h o s e
G o v e r n m e n t ' s
to
w i l l
o f
I n
needs
h i g h e r
the a r t s ,
t h e s e
a g r i c u l t u r e .
t o
v o c a t i o n a l
or.
taking
i p .
s t r o n g
t h a t
i n d u s t r y
courses
c o u r s e s
g e n e r a l l y
f o r
a
i n t e n t i o n
t h e
£29*pm
I n
e d u c a t i o n
£16*3I t
t h a t
second
i s
i "
t h e
w i l l
h a l f
a l l o w
be
o f
t h e
f o r
f i v e
c a p i t a l
y e a r
a u t h o r i t i e s
t h i s
p e r i o d ,
t o
e x p e n d i t u r e
p e r i o d
s t a r t
a n d
seme
t o
f u r t h e r
o f
i n t e n t i o n
t o
a l l o c a t e
r e q u i r e d
t o
accommodate
t h e
d e c a d e .
1976-77*
t h i s
f u r t h e r
t h e
3.
(i)
\d.
Introduction
THE SCHOOLS' SYSTEM The primary responsibility for the administration of school education in
Scotland rests with 35 education authorities:
0
Under the Government' . proposals for
local government reform there will be? from 1975? 8 regional authorities and 3 island
authorities with responsibility for education.
Of the children within the
coapulsory age limits, 96*7% attend education authority schools5
and a further "U9$
attend grant-aided schools which will continue to receive Government support, and
can therefore be said to be within the public system of school education.
Primary Education
17. Primary education in Scotland covers 7 years - from the ages of 5 to 12 usually provided in schools which cater for the whole of this ago range.
is
The
recommended basis of the primary school curriculum is a memorandum published in 19'S5
vmich has already had a marked and beneficial effect on content and methods.
The
Secretary of State has recently set up a Central Committee to keep under reviex* all
aspects of primary education.
18. In the 10 years 1962 to 1972, the population of education authority and grant-aided
primary schools grev by only 10.670 (from 581,200 to b42,800).
On the latest projections
based on estimates of child population by the Government Actuary, the number of pupils
in primary schools will fall steadily after 1972 to about 585,000 in the late 1970s,
and will then gradually rise again.
19' With the decline of rural population, better transport and a wider appreciation of
the social as ;rell as educational advantages
of
a larger school, education
authorities have for many years followed a policy of amalgamating small primary schools;
and in consequence the number of primary schools fell from 2813 to 2522 between 1962
and 1972.
20.
In the 10 years 1962 to 1972, the population of education authority and grant­
aided secondary schools rose by 15.5^ from 292,200 to 337,500, in spite of a slight
fall in the number of secondary school children within compulsory age limits. The
increase was entirely accounted for by the fact that the number of children staying on
at school after the minimum leaving age more than doubled fic-m 4 2 , 0 0 0 to 88,20^*
21.
It is expected that the number of pupils in secondary education will rise to
over 423,000 in 1977-78 as a result of the raising of the school leaving age to 16 in
session 1972-73, and, of that number, some 70,000 are likely to be staying on
voluntarily after the new minimum leaving age. Thereafter, the earlier decline in the
primary population will extend into the secondary population, which, on present
projections, will fall to about 393*000 by the mid 1980's before again rising.
22o
In the present session, secondary education in 22 education authority areas is
organised on comprehensive lines and all other authorities are presently at different
stages of implementing schemes of reorganisation.
In 1971, 72/2 of secondary pupils
were attending schools with a comprehensive intake.
23.
Reorganisation on comprehensive lines has naturally involved considerable change
in the demands made on school buildings, and in their design, use and location.
Considerable numbers of 3 and 4 year secondary schools have been closed in order to
bring their pupils together into larger schools. In 1962 there were 752 secondary
schools in Scotland, but by 1972 this number had fallen to 51 o. A3 reorganisation
continues, and as school buildings are replaced, the number of secondary schcols will
fall further;
the average secondary school
may be expected to have a roll of
about 1,000 and the organisation of secondary education/is likely to be more uniform,
with a large proportion of schools close to the average siae.
:
f
24,' There has been continuous review of the -educational content and balance of
the school curriculum, and study of the syllabuses of individual subjects taught.
The Consultative Committee on the Curriculum (the Secretary of State's main
advisory body) has systematically examined many aspects of the curriculum through
u
its forking Parties and Central Committees -aid" has published much dcailed advice.
A further expansion of its work has been recommended in the recent Millar Heport on
1
Moral and Religious Education. ' There has also been a growing awareness of the need
for pupil guidance in choice of curriculum and of vocation- and in personal problems,
and this is being recognised by the appointment of teachers with specific
responsibility fcr guidance. In addition, the Scottish Certificate of Education
17
Examination Board has introduced far reaching changes in almost all SO , examination
syllabuses.
25. The effect of these changes is difficult to assess. The success of" an education service cannot readily be measured in terms of output, but it is pertinent to take account of the number of pupils ^ho have been brought forward to a stage vrhere they can leave schooj. with forma") qualifications,, Whereas in the period 1963 to 1972 the secondary school population grew by about 18?', the m^ber of passes in individual subjects in the Scottish Certificate of Education Ordinary grade examination rose from 124,400 to 20i/,500, In the SCE Higher grade examination the number of pusses in individual subjects rose strikingly from 39?60Q in 19^3 to almost 85,000 in 1972* 26. The Certificate of Sixth Year Studies was introduced into Scottish secondary
schools in 1960* This is not a pass/fail examination; it is designed to provide a
stimulus for independent study in depth and so prepare pupils for the transition to
higher education.
In 1968 the number of presentations ir individual subjects was
1*993; by 1972 the number had risen to 8,900.
27* Thus in the past 10 years the schools, have gone through very substantial changes
in organisation and. at the same time, have introduced fundamental changes in curriculum
and in their general approach to the education of pupils. These changes, and particular]
the development of new curricula designed to meet the needs of all pupils in a rapidly
*Moral and Religious Education in Scottish Schools, MS0, I972
1
\
changing society and the introduction of more systematic arrangements for the guidance of individual pupils, have laid the foundation for further advance towards the ideal of full opportunity for all our children. (ii) The Under Fives 28. There has been a statutory duty on education authorities in Scotland since 1%-5
to make adequate provision for nursery education but, because of other demands on
resources, successive Governments have been unable tc let education authorities cerry
out this duty. The present Government believes that the time has come to remove the
restrictions imposed in this field and to make nursery education available a. widely c
as possible, without charge, to children whose parents wish them to benefit from it,. 29. The benefits which can be derived from nursery education have been described in
the-Report of the Working Party on Nursery Education, "Before Five" .* Because of
increasing interest in the subject, and the fact that some modest expansion of
provision was becoming possible, the Working Party was set up on the advise of the
Consultative Committee on the Curriculum, to make an appraisal of the best practices
in nursery schools and classes and of the principles on which pre-school educaticn
should be based. To quote from the opening chapter of the Report:
"The first few years of a child's life are being increasingly recognised as a period of highly significant growth. During this time, he makes comparatively more progress, both physically and intellectually, than he appears to make in any other period of similar duration. This progress, however, is closely related to the child's environment, which is now considered to have a marked influence-; on the level and rate of his development. The ideal educational environment in these years will afford opportunities for the child to develop his physical, intellectual, social and emotional capacities." *Before Five, HMSO, 1 9 . 7 . 1 .
jO. "Before Five" observes that development of nursery education began from the wish
to alleviate the poor physical conditions of children in slum areas. As the proport­
ion of children who lack adequate feed, rest and clothing has decreased, there has
been increasing interest in the role of nursery education in providing intellectual
stimulation in a beneficial social setting for children whose early experiences are
limited and narrow because of deficiencies in their environment. However, compensatory
education is not the sole function of nursery schools. There has been an increasing
demand for pre-school education from both parents and educationists, as knowledge has
grown about the effects of social contacts and intellectual stimulus, and as changes
in patterns of living have made it more difficult for parents generally to provide at
home the opportunities a child needs for all-round development.
present Provision
31,
Some progress has already been made, and there has been a steady increase in the
number of children attending education authority and grant-aided nursery classes or
schools especially in areas 01' social deprivation where assistance is available
under the urban programme. With the increasing trend towards part-day attendance,
which enables one place to benefit two children, the number rose from 6,727 in
January 1966 to 14,818 in January 1972.
It is estimated that approximately 9,500
places are now available in nursery schools and classes.
32
0
More recently there has also been an increase in the number of children admitted
to primary schools before reaching the age of 5;
the number in education authority
primary schools rose from 2,025 in January 1971 to 6,476 in January 1972, possibly
because of the change made by some authorities to a single commencement date in each
ysar, (There are, of course, always a number of 5 year olds not in primary schools.)
33. Despite these increases in the numbers receiving nursery or primary education,
however, the proportion of 3 and 4 year olds receiving some form of education was
only some YZfo of the combined ago group in January 1972.
Planriing..Ssrvlces, f o r P r o - S c h o o l Children
34.
The Report "Before Five" called attention t;o the need for a c.'.^jer integration
of services to facilitate "the oost effective use of all available resources to
complement the natural or substitute home in providing the best possible start in
life f o r young children". To assess the needs of pre-school children in each
community and to plan appropriate services, close consultation will be necessary
between education, social work, and local health authorities. Integrated facilities,
combining, for example, nursery education with provision for children who require
cere for a longer period of the day than nursery schools can normally provide, or
short term residential care, can have en important function in certain circumstances.
35.
If nursery education is to provide compensatory education f o r those children who
need it most, it will be necessary to ensure that the parents of these children are
given every posbitle encouragement to take advantage of the facilities that beoome
available. Health visitors and social workers m i l have an important part to play in
advising parents and nursery teachers of those children who would lie most likely to
gain advantages from nursery education,
"Before Five" called attention to the benefit
tfkich mentally or physically handicapped children can derive from mxing with other
children in nursery schools or classes for part of each day or part of the week, and
authorities will be asked to consider the extent to which provision can be made for
handicapped children vhen they draw up their plans
c
36.
The need for nursery schools and classes in any area will also be influenced by
the extent to which other facilities, and particularly playgroups, are already
available.
There nas been a steady growth in the number of playgroups in Scotland
which were attended by over 22,600 children in December 1971*
1
Their development has
been guided and assisted both by local authorities and by the Scottish Pre-School
Playgroups Association, and the Government has indicated its support for the movement
by increasing their financial assistance to the Association.
They hope the development
of playgroups will continue, since clearly both nursery schools and playgroups have a
part to play in meeting the potential demand for facilities for pre-school children.
r
In areas where both nurser3 education and playgroups are or become available, parents
will be free to choose between them.
Close co-operation and consultation between the
education authority, the social work authority and the playgroup movement will be
necessary in planning a comprehensive service for each area,
37*
Nursery schools and playgroups may learn from each other,,
The playgroup movement­
has shown that'the child, benefits from the better understanding which the parent gains
from participation in the playgroup and. which the playleader gains from ahari ig the
1
parent s experience of the child.
It is hoped that similar close co-operation between
home and nursery school or class, and similar parental participation in the activities
of the school will be encouraged as nursery education is expanded.
Equally, it is
hoped that nursery teachers will continue to-offer the benefit of their training and
experience to the playgroup movement, and that local authorities will increase their
assistance to the movement, in the form both of advisory services and of material
help such as the provision of equipment and accommodation.
Scale of Expanslop
38.
It is difficult to estimate with precision the demand for places in nursery
schools and classes because attendance is voluntary and will remain so
e
It will
therefore be for each authority to assess the needs of its own area as its programme
develops.
The Government intend now to authorise expenditure which will permit
education authorities to start nursery education projects to a value of £A..5m in each
of the 3 financial years 1974--77.
The expansion programme will continue thereafter
and it is the G-ovemment s aim to provide by 1932-83 sufficient nursery places to
!
meet the expected demand from parents who wish their children to attend from the
beginning of the school year after the age of 3 .
The actual number of places to be
provided will depend on the extent of this demand as well as on the resources which
can be made available.
39.
1
The number of places which can be provided, out of the £13.5s . to be made available
in the period 19?';- to 1977 will be determined by the type of provision education
authorities consider necessary. Much vd.ll depend on the extent to which provision is
made in the form of nursery extensions to primary schools
an economical form of
provision since some facilities can be shared with the primary school - or in the form
of separate nursery schools. In seme areas it may be appropriate to provide nursery
classes attached to pi-imary schools. In others, however, it will not be practicable
to build additional classrooms on to existing primary schools;
and it is undesirable
to attach classes to large primary schools since young children cannot easily cope
with very large numbers of fellow pupils. In some places, therefore, sep?.i'at2 nursery
schools will be necessary.
40.
On the assumption that about half the new places will be provided in separate
schools and half in extensions to primary schools in the early years of the
programme, it i- calculated that about 35,000 places will be available in nursery
education by 1977, compared with 9 500 places this year. Taking account also of
3
children under 5 likely to be in primary schools, provision of this order will mean
that probably about hff/o of the combined 3 and 4 year old. age group might be
receiving some form of education by 1977, the exact number depending upon the number
of children requiring full time education end the extent of part-time attendance.
410
It is expected that education authorities' current expenditure on nursery
education will rise from approximately £2a in 1973-74 before the building programme
beginr., to nearly £6ra in 1976-77 (at 1972 prices).
Much of the additional expenditure
involved will be on teaching and supporting staff-, The numbers of teachers needed
for this programme are being taken into account in planning future levels of entry
to the colleges of education (see section 3(v), para 6 0 ) .
The extent of the increase
in current expenditure, like the number of places which can be provided for the available capita3 investment, will be influenced by the form of provision since the cost per place is higher in a separate nursery school than in an extension to 8, primary school. All such expenditure will be reckonable expenditure for rate support grant purposes. Priorities 42.
It is intended that each education authority should be given an allocation from
the capital investment that is to be made available for nursery building and should be­
free to select the projects to be undertaken in it3 area
0
The Government, however,
takes the view that in the initial years ox" the nursery building programme, priority
should in general be given to areas of social need.
Education authorities will
accordingly be given certain guidelines to assist them to ensure that this is done.
For this purpose, areas of social need will include, ii: addition to those areas which
have hitherto been eligible for nursery provision under the urban programme, other
districts which have not sc benefited but which nevertheless show features which
justify a degree cf priority in the allocation of resources, for example, high
density housing with insufficient play space for'children. The extent to which
areas of social need exist within tne area of an education authority will be taken
s
into account by ^he Government in determining the authority s share of the building
programme.
( (iii)
43,
School B u i l d i n g
For many y e a r s the main o b j e c t i v e i n school b u i l d i n g h a s been to provide
additional primary and secondary school p l a c e s t o keep pace w i t h the growth of the
school p o p u l a t i o n and w i t h i t s r e d i s t r i b u t i o n a s p u p i l s moved with t h e i r
into a r e a s of new housing development.
parents
More r e c e n t l y , e d u c a t i o n a u t h o r i t i e s have
also had t o provide e x t r a secondary school accommodation to p r e p a r e for t h e r a i s i n g
of the school l e a v i n g a g e .
As a r e s u l t of e x t e n s i v e b u i l d i n g to meet t h e s e b a s i c
­
needs and, on a l e s s e r s c a l e , t o improve and r e p l a c e o b s o l e t e school accommodation,
the g r e a t m a j o r i t y of primary and secondary p u p i l s and t h e i r t e a c h e r s a r e now housed
in schools t h a t have "been b u i l t or improved in t h e p a s t 25 y e a r s .
Indeed, school
building p r o j e c t s completed i n the p a s t 10 y e a r s alone have provided permanent
accommodation f o r t h e e q u i v a l e n t of about 35$ of the primary p o p u l a t i o n and 6l/£ of
the secondary p o p u l a t i o n i n e d u c a t i o n a u t h o r i t y s c h o o l s .
44.
N e v e r t h e l e s s much remains to be dons to remodel or r e p l a c e
buildings i n t h e s t o c k of e x i s t i n g s c h o o l s .
T h i s a p p l i e s p a r t i c u l a r l y t o t h e primary
schools, where t h e p r o p o r t i o n of p u p i l s i n modern accommodation i s
smaller than i t i s i n secondary s c h o o l s .
unsatisfactory
substantially
Prom next y e a r , t h e t o t a l primary school
. population in Scotland w i l l s t a r t t o f a l l , and from the middle of t h e 1970's t h e
rate of i n c r e a s e i n t h e secondary school p o p u l a t i o n i s expected t o s l a c k e n .
Consequently t h e r ^ w i l l not be the same need to c o n c e n t r a t e on t h e p r o v i s i o n of
additional school p l a c e s , and t h i s provides an o p p o r t u n i t y f o r more work to be done
on the renewal and m o d e r n i s a t i o n of old and u n s a t a o f a c t o r y school b u i l d i n g s o
45o
In 1970 the Government announced an i n c r e a s e i n the school b u i l d i n g programme
for 1972-73 to permit f a s t e r p r o g r e s s i n t h e replacement and improvement of primary
schools; and i n 1971 a c o n t i n u i n g programme s p e c i f i c a l l y for primary s c h o o l s
1
improvements was announced a t the l e v e l of about £8rn a year for th& period 1973-74
to 1975-76.
Under t h e main school b u i l d i n g programme t h e r e i s a l s o some scope for
the improvement and replacement of secondary s c h o o l s .
I t i s now proposed to
increase the school b u i l d i n g programme by £2m a y e a r i n each of the 3 y e a r s 1974-75
to 1976-77 t o enable e d u c a t i o n a u t h o r i t i e s to s t a r t more improvement and replacement
work.
46.
I n t h e primary s e c t o r , t h e improvement programme a l r e a d y announced up t o
1975-76 w i l l c o n t i n u e f o r a f u r t h e r y e a r and w i l l be augmented, p a r t i c u l a r l y i n
1974-75, to enable e d u c a t i o n a u t h o r i t i e s t o provide t h e e x t r a accommodation needed
for the improved primary school s t a f f i n g
by the mid 1 9 7 0 ' s .
s t a n d a r d s which they a r e expected t o a t t a i n
The s i z e of the i n c r e a s e d programme w i l l be determined i n
c o n s u l t a t i o n with e d u c a t i o n a u t h o r i t i e s .
47.
V/hile secondary school accommodation i n S c o t l a n d i s on t h e whole more modern
than primary accommodation, t h e r e remain i n many a r e a s secondary schools which w a r r a n t
early improvement o r r e p l a c e m e n t .
The amount of work on t h e s e schools which can be
undertaken i n 1974-75 w i l l be l i m i t e d because of t h e need to c o n c e n t r a t e on
improvements i n t h e primary s e c t o r , b u t by 1975-76 s u f f i c i e n t p r o g r e s s w i l l have
been made with primary schools f o r more of t h e r e s o u r c e s a v a i l a b l e t o be us^d f o r
secondary school improvements and r e p l a c e m e n t s .
i,8.
There is also need for improved provision for handicapped pupils. There is a
shortage of provision in the public sector in Scotland for maladjusted children, and
new schools, some of them residential or with hostels attached, are needed. In
order to encourage education authorities, individually or in collaboration, to meet
this need the Government has arranged for expenditure on the special education of
maladjusted pupils to be pooled.
49v
Many of the existing special schools for all types of handicapped, children are
housed in old and unsuitable buildings and ought to be replaced. Man;/ special school
indeed, are housed in old- primary or secondary schools no longer needed for bheir -'
original purpose. Even where premises were originally planned as a special school,
they may no longer be suitable to accommodate new patterns of handicap and new
methods of instruction;
for example, a school which might once have accommodated
children suffering the effects of poliomyelitis may lack the spaciousness and
facilities needed for chairbound children with spina bifida.
50.
All the provision required for handicapped, pupils will not be made in special
schools or classes. The Government welcomes the increasing tendency to encc-^rage any
handicapped child who can, with appropriate support, cope in an ordinary school to
attend there; anu. education authorities are being encouraged to make the necessary
physical adjustments in sore of their schools, especially in the secondary sector,
for this purpose.
51.
In order to meet the needs for additional new provision and for replacement of
unsatisfactory older special schools, the Government propose to authorise a special
school building programme of £11.1m in the next five years rising from £1.5m starts i
1972-75 to £2.4m in 1973-74 and continuing at that level to 1976-77.
(iv) Supply of Books and Educational Equipment
52,
It has not been the policy of the Government to set standards for the supply of
text books, library books and educational equipment in schools. This is an area
in which education authorities have complete discretion. It is, however, increasingly
clear that as teaching methods become morfi sophisticated, more resources will be
needed for expenditure on books and equipment. Curriculum revision has led to 3
more rapid turnover of text books and to use of a variety of books in primary
schools. In secondary schools a wider range of
subjects fully;
booKo
is used to cover certain
for instance, English studies are no longer confined to a small
number of major classical texts. Quite apart from the range and variety of books
needed to cater for new developments, it is clear that, given the current pace of
change in all aspects of society, the books provided in our schools will have to be
replaced more often than in the past if education is to remain relevant to the
experience and interest of pupils.
53.
Modern teaching methods also require an expanding use of technological aids,
such as film scrips, films, film loops, tape recorders, projectors and, at a more
elaborate level, language laboratories and video tape recording equipment. In. some
subjects, notably science, more sophisticated and costly equipment is needed to match
the modern cuniculum and demands will be created not only by new subjects, such as
computer studies, but also by new concepts and methods in old established subjects
like art and technical studies. The development and expansion of outdoor education ­
and field studies also creates a demand for expensive equipment.
%,
These developments suggest the need to leave room for expenditure on books and
equipment to increase much more rapidly than in the past few years, when the level
of spending in this area has been virtually static. Fox- planning purposes, therefore,
it has been assumed that spending will rise by about
6 f annually to 197&-77,
0
thereafter at a more moderate but still substantial rate.
axl
^­
(v) Teachers ano Auxiliary Staff 55.
The classroom teacher remains at the centre in the school system and programmes
for improvement of the education service, whether they involve better facilities
or equipment or additional staff, serve to create an environment in which the
teacher can work more effectively. So far as the teaching force itself is c^iicerned,
the Government's objectives are the maintenance of a suitably qualified and trained
teaching force sufficient in number to permit classes of a reasonable size in which
pupils can receive individual attention and to provide necessary remedial educatiur.,
to allow for a curriculum adequate in scope, and to provide sufficient resources of
manpower for the general management of the schools, for the guidance and counselling
of pupils and for a reserve for in-service training.
There are no easy tests that can
be applied to assess the right level of teacher strength and hence the proper level of
teaching costs, which acjount at present for about 66% of total current expenditure
on schools.
56.
The post-war period was characterised by widespread teacher shortage, and the
concern of the central Government was almost wholly directed to the achievement of
minimum staffing standards through regulations stipulating maximum class sizes and
formal qualifications for teachers. Education authorities were pressed to eliminate
oversize classes, to replace unqualified teachers and re-employed retired teachers
and to fill vacancies. There was limited progress for many years but with the
establishment of the General Teaching Council for Scotland steps were taken in 1968 .
to eliminate unqualified teachers from primary schools and to restrict their
employment in all schools.
Since 1968 there have also been significant improvements
in the supply of teachers. The qualified teaching force in education authority and
grant-aided schools has grown from 3 6 , 3 0 0 in October i 9 6 0 to ^.6,700 in January 1 9 7 2 .
57.
A fair distinction is drawn in Scotland between the qualifications required
for primary and for secondary teaching respectively, and the differences in
qualifications make it necessary to treat separately the two sectors of s chool
education for the purpose of stating a policy on teacher numbers, In general,
however, the Government has decided that further increases in the number of teachers
are not now the only priority, and that the proper staffing of the schools is not to
be achieved simply by prescribing maximum class sizes.
Primary Schools
58,
In primary schools it has become evident that the prescription of maximum class
sizes inhibited the development of more flexible types of organisation. Accordingly,
new standards of staffing based on minimum complements linked to the roll of the
school were set by regulation from 1 August 1 9 7 2 .
They are such as to permit an
average class size of no more than 3 5 in a school with a traditional form of class
organisation. They imply a national pupil steadier ratio of 2 6 : 1 when account is
taken of remedial teachers and visiting specialist teachers in, for example,
physical education.
59*
The Government's intention to move towards a further improvement in staffing
standards by session 1 9 7 5 - 7 6 was announced in Scottish Education Department Circular
No. 8 1 9 .
Again, these standards were expressed in terms of a complement of teachers
related to school size. They would produce a maximum average class size of at
most 30 in a traditionally organised schoo]?
and they imply a national pupil:teacher
ratio of 2 5 : 1 ; remedial and visiting special." it teachers would be additional to the
minimum complements. On this basis, it is estimated that a teaching force of
25,800 - about Qzfo more than the numbers actually in service in 1971-72 - would be ­
required in education authority schools in session 1 9 7 5 - 7 6 .
The Circular indicated
the Government's view that once these standards had been achieved any additional
resources should not be used to expand further the primary/teaching force, but should
instead be devoted to other educational objectives, such as the provision of
additional auxiliary assistants, books and aids to teaching in the primary schools,
or to meet emerging
need3
in other sectors.
'60.' The announcement t h a t t h e 1 9 7 5 - 7 6 s t a n d a r d s , once a c h i e v e d , should not be
f u r t h e r improved on for some y e a r s implied some c o n t r o l of e n t r y i n t o t r a i n i n g i f
supply was not t o exceed demand and unemployment of t e a c h e r s was t o be avoided.
Accordingly, t h e e n t r y of s t u d e n t s t o primary diploma c o u r s e s i n t h e c o l l e g e s of
e d u c a t i e i was r e s t r i c t e d t o about 2 , 5 0 0 i n October 1 9 7 2 . Teachers from t h e c e
courses w i l l be a v a i l a b l e t o t a k e up work i n t h e s c h o o l s ab t h e b e g i n n i n g of t h e
1975-76 s e s s i o n and i t i s e s t i m a t e d t h a t , t o g e t h e r w i t h g r a d u a t e s who have t a k e n
the 4 year course l e a d i n g t o t h e degree of BEd o r t h e one y e a r p o s t - g r a d u a t e c o u r s e
of t e a c h e r t r a i n i n g , they w i l l be adequate i n number t o enable e d u c a t i o n a u t h o r i t i e s
both t o achieve t h e 1 9 7 5 - 7 6 s t a f f i n g s t a n d a r d s a n l t o a p p o i n t t h e t e a c h e r s r e q u i r e d
for t h e i r i n c r e a s i n g n u r s e r y p r o v i s i o n .
The Government w i l l seek t o m a i n t a i n a
reasonable b a l a n c e between supply and demand of t e a c h e r s by c o n t r o l of i n t a k e i n
future y e a r s .
Secondary Schools
61.
I t has become c l e a r t h a t i n secondary s c h o o l s , a s i n t h e primary s c h o o l s ,
the p r e s c r i p t i o n of maximum c l a s s s i z e s does not amount t o a s a t i s f a c t o r y
policy.
staffing
A s t a f f i n g study has been undertaken w i t h t h e o b j e c t of e s t a b l i s h i n g a
method of measuring t h e demand f o r t e a c h e r s t h a t w i l l be s e n s i t i v e t o t h e many
factors a f f e c t i n g the number needed i n s c h o o l s c i d i f f e r e n t s i z e s and t y p e s .
The
r e s u l t s of t h i s study w i l l - b e p u b l i s h e d s h o r t l y and w i l l be t h e s u b j e c t of
c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h e d u c a t i o n a u t h o r i t i e s , t e a c h e r a s s o c i a t i o n s and o t h e r i n t e r e s t e d
bodies.
62,
Meantime t h e Government's p r o v i s i o n a l view, baood on t h e s e r e s u l t s , i s t h a t t h e
objective for t h e s t a f f i n g of e d u c a t i o n a u t h o r i t y secondary s c h o o l s d u r i n g t h e second
half of t h e decade should be a n a t i o n a l p u p i l s t e a d i e r r a t i o i n t h e r e g i o n of 1 5 : 1 ,
compared with t h e r a t i o of 1 6 . 2 : 1 t h a t i s expected i n 1 9 7 3 - 7 4 .
I t i s t h i s provisional
objective which t h e y w i l l propose, t h e r e f o r e , a s a b a s i s f o r c o n s u l t a t i o n .
In 1977-78,
when the school p o p u l a t i o n i s expected t o be a t i t s peak, a r a t i o of 15*1 w i l l
require
a teaching force of about 2 7 , 3 0 0 compared with 2 0 , 7 0 0 i n 1 9 7 1 - 7 2 - an i n c r e a s e of 3 2 $ . .
The s t a b i l i s a t i o n of t h e t e a c h i n g f o r c e a t a n a t i o n a l p u p i l : t e a c h e r r a t i o of 1 5 : 1
^Ly
i n v o l v e p l a c i n g some r e s t r i c t i o n on t h e number of g r a d u a t e s e n t e r i n g t e a c h e r
training.
Teacher T r a i n i n g
63.
I n t h e primary f i e l d , t h e c o l l e g e s of e d u c a t i o n , i n a d d i t i o n t o p r o v i d i n g t h e
3-year primary diploma c o u r s e , w i l l c a t e r f o r t h e growing number of s t u d e n t s vmo
wish t o follow a combined course of academic study and t e a c h e r t r a i n i n g l e a d i n g t o
the degree of Bachelor of Education and w i l l a l s o make p r o v i s i o n f o r t h e t r a i n i n g
of the i n c r e a s i n g number of g r a d u a t e s who a r e expected t o e n t e r primary t e a c h i n g .
A r e p o r t on t h e t r a i n i n g of secondary teachers,-which was p r e p a r e d by a Working P a r t y
set up by t h e General Teaching Council f o r S c o t l a n d and approved by t h a t Council,
w i l l be p u b l i s h e d s h o r t l y .
Without p r e j u d i c e t o d e c i s i o n s about the f u t u r e
of t r a i n i n g f o r p e r s o n s e n t e r i n g t h e p r o f e s s i o n t h a t may be t a k e n a f t e r
pattern
consultation
on t h i s r e p o r t , i t i s t h e Government's i n t e n t i o n t o expand t h e p r o v i s i o n of c o u r s e s
for t e a c h e r s who a r e a l r e a d y i n employment b o t h i n primary and i n secondary s c h o o l s .
The s t a f f i n g l e v e l s s e t out i n the f o r e g o i n g paragraphs a l l o w f o r t h i s expansion,
and the N a t i o n a l Committee f o r t h e I n - S e r v i c e T r a i n i n g of Teachers i s a l r e a d y
s t i m u l a t i n g t h e necessary developments.
Auxiliary S t a f f
64.
The primary schools a t p r e s e n t employ t h e e q u i v a l e n t of some 300 a u x i l i a r y
helpers.
Experiments i n the extended employment of a u x i l i a r i e s a r e b e i n g conducted
by several e d u c a t i o n a u t h o r i t i e s .
The working arrangements v a r y b u t t h e g e n e r a l
pattern i s for one a u x i l i a r y t o a s s i s t t h r e e or four t e a c h e r s i n a range of
"household" d u t i e s , i n c l u d i n g t h e p r e p a r a t i o n of play and o t h e r m a t e r i a l s .
The
Government i s s a t i s f i e d t h a t t h e r e i s scope f o r a c o n s i d e r a b l e i n c r e a s e i n t h i s
form of a s s i s t a n c e f o r t e a c h e r s .
In secondary s c h o o l s t h e r e h a s ' b e e n
much i n t e r e s t i n r e c e n t y e a r s i n t h e employment of a d m i n i s t r a t i v e and c l e r i c a l
auaisbants, l a b o r a t o r y t e c h n i c i a n s and o t h e r a u x i l i a r y s t a f f t o r e l i e v e t e a c h e r s of
work t h a t does not r e q u i r e t h e i r p r o f e s s i o n a l s k i l l s .
T h i s development i s g e n e r a l l y
welcomed by e d u c a t i o n a l i n t e r e s t s and the Government w i l l encourage e d u c a t i o n
a u t h o r i t i e s t o make f u r t h e r p r o v i s i o n of t h i s k i n d .
Meantime a working p a r t y w i l l
i n v e s t i g a t e how such s t a f f can be employed most e f f e c t i v e l y .
A second working
p a r t y w i l l i d e n t i f y t h e n a t u r e and range of f u n c t i o n s i n secondary s c h o o l s which may
a p p r o p r i a t e l y be undertaken by p e r s o n s such a s y o u t h and community w o r k e r s , l i b r a r i a n s
and i n s t r u c t o r s .
The Teaching P r o f e s s i o n
65.
E d u c a t i o n a l s t a n d a r d s u l t i m a t e l y depend on t h e e f f e c t i v e n e s s of t h e t e a c h i n g
that i s provided.
For many y e a r s t e a c h e r s were handicapped by d e f i c i e n c y i n numbers,
a d e f i c i e n c y which e d u c a t i o n a u t h o r i t i e s were forced t o t r y t o o f f s e t by employing
t e a c h e r s who were not f u l l y q u a l i f i e d , and by s h o r t a g e s of a u x i l i a r y
accommodation and equipment.
staff,
The p o l i c i e s now proposed w i l l c o n s o l i d a t e and c o n t i n u e
the improvements i n t h e s e f i e l d s t h a t have a l r e a d y been made.
I t must be r e c o g n i s e d ,
however, t h a t a s t h e d e f i c i e n c i e s a r e overcome and h i g h e r s t a n d a r d s become f e a s i b l e ,
these changes w i l l b r i n g w i t n theia a new f o r a of c h a l l e n g e ; more w i l l be e x p e c t e d of
t e a c h e r s by e d u c a t i o n a u t h o r i t i e s , by p a r e n t s and p u p i l s , and not l e a s t by t h e i r
colleagues i n t h e s c h o o l s .
The Government has no doubt t h a t t h e t e a c h i n g p r o f e s s i o n
w i l l respond f u l l y t o t h e c h a l l e n g e t h a t t h e new o p p o r t u n i t i e s w i l l
offer.
4.
66.
EXPENDITURE IMPLICATIONS It is provisionally estimated that the proposals made injbhis White Paper
the further expansion of higher education will increase public expenditure
expenditure on student support but excluding expenditure on universities, from
over £32m in 1971-72 to about £45m* in 1 9 7 6 - 7 7 .
67.
The proposals for schools will, it is estimated, increase expenditure in "
sector to about £222m in 1 9 7 6 - 7 7 compared with £185m in 1 9 7 1 - 7 2 .
The higher It
of expenditure proposed allow for a substantial start to the nursery school GXT
programme, continued expansion of the teaching force, increased expenditure on
building and for a start to be made on other improvements such as the recruitme
AA
of non-teaching auxiliaries. 68.
Altogether, it is estimated that the cost of all educational services in
Scotland, including, in addition to the two main sectors mentioned above, r; "t
education, school meals etc., but excluding universities, will rise frcm £28$
1971-72 to about £345m in 1 9 7 6 - 7 7 , an overall rate of growth of 3.7?2 per annui:
*,
A.
69.
The main impact of the cost of the nursery expansion programme will be in
second half of the decade, when there should also be a continuing improvement :
provision of teaching aids and teaching auxiliaries and, in later years, some
in the primary teaching force to meet an increasing population. Higher educat::
will also continue to expand at a steady rate. After 1 9 7 6 - 7 7 , however, there ^
be some levelling off in expenditure on teaching costs, and, on the assumption;.
out in this Paper, total expenditure on education services in Scotland woula ri
about £380m by 1981-82.
*
70. The Government considers that the programme of educational expansion propc in this Paper is no less than is required to achieve the personal fulfilment of young people, a balanced and progressive society and a vigorous rate of ecor-cmic advance in the last quarter of this century.
The policies proposed are Mgnifi *A11 expenditure projections are in terms of 1972 prices
and ambitious. They should be taken as indicating the general scope a n a :
of the education programme over the next ten years. Although they arc las
realistic assumptions of the resources that will be required, it is n o t po
to make precise estimates over a ten year period.
The pace and extent c::'
in the later years must therefore be regarded as flexible. The Government
that the deployment of resources in the directions outlined in this paper
j. ensure that they are most effectively used to f a r t h e r the objectives of th
educational services in Scotland over the next decade.
I