(WELSH DEPARTMENT.)

REPORT

OF THE

BOARD OF EDUCATION

UNDER THE

WELSH INTERMEDIATE EDUCATION ACT, 1889

(52 & 53 Vict., c. 40),

FOR THE YEAR 1921.

I.

AMENDMENT OF COUNTY SCHEMES.

No County Scheme was amended during the year. The Schemes for Howell's Glamorgan County School and Dr. Williams' School, Dolgelley, were amended for the purpose of extending the limits for tuition and boarding fees.

II. TREASURY GRANT.

The Treasury Grant, payable under section 9 of the Welsh Act for the educational year 1920-21, was claimed in aid of the 99 County Schools which are eligible to receive the Grant. In addition to these 99 schools, Dr. Williams' School for Girls at Dolgelley and the Howell's Glamorgan County School at Llandaff, although not entitled to a Grant, were inspected and examined, as required by the Schemes under which they are carried on, making the total number of schools inspected and examined 101. Of these, 22 were schools for boys, 23 schools for girls, and 56 schools for boys and girls, these numbers being the same as in 1919-20.

Twenty schools-namely, the Intermediate Schools in the Counties of Brecon, Denbigh and Merioneth-were visited in 1920-21, on behalf of the Central Welsh Board, for the purposes of the full inspection; while the others were visited for the purposes of the subsidiary inspection. Twenty-one of the schools were visited for the purpose of Physical Training inspection, and two for the purpose of inspection of Music.

III. STATISTICAL TABLES.

The tables in the Appendix are of more than ordinary interest at the present time in view of some of the subjects dealt with in

the report. For example, Table A shows the striking increaseamounting to 63.1 per cent.-which has taken place in the number of pupils in the Intermediate Schools since the close of the year immediately preceding the war (1913-14). Table F gives the income of the Central Welsh Board and the sources from which it is derived including the produce of the new voluntary levy upon Local Education Authorities; whilst Table G shows the cost of the Central Welsh Board's services which, as will be seen, have now reached the average sum of 130l. 8s. 2d. per school.

IV.-NUMBERS OF PUPILS.

The number of pupils in the Intermediate Schools in 1920-21 was 23,149, an increase of 1,217 on the previous year. This is a smaller increase than in any recent year, except 1916-17; the following table shows the increases in each year over the preceding year since 1914-15.

In normal times when the provision of additional accommodation, as it becomes needed, is carried out as a matter of course, the increase in the numbers of pupils presents no difficulty. Under existing conditions, the great increases in the last few years have, as pointed out in last year's report and elsewhere in this report, placed the greatest strain on the Schools; in 1921 no fewer than 33 Schools have had to have recourse to such means as army huts and other temporary expedients. The increasing financial stringency has made it necessary to restrict more and more severely the expenditure of money on buildings and the Schools must now consider seriously the regulation of new admissions so that the total numbers of pupils may not exceed the capacity of the School to hold them.

There are indications that this is being forced upon the School Authorities by the increase in the pupils' School life. It is obvious that if pupils already in the School tend to stay longer the number of vacant places for candidates for admission will, in the impossibility of enlarging the School premises, steadily grow less.

In these circumstances School Governors should, each year, take stock of the situation and after full consideration determine

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what is the maximum number of new pupils that can, in the interests of those already in the School, be admitted and strictly adhere to this limit. A carefully devised system of admission tests, not necessarily based merely on examination results, should be set up and as the School life of the pupils approximates to that required by the Secondary School Regulations the test will need to become stricter. The privilege of admission to Public Secondary Schools should be granted to those pupils who appear most likely to benefit thereby.

V. SCHOOL LIFE.

In 1921 the Board of Education issued revised Regulations for Secondary Schools in Wales in which it is laid down (in Article 2) that a School will not be recognised for the payment of grants under the Regulations unless (i) the pupils normally remain at least four years at School and (ii) the School-life of the pupils normally extends at least to the age of 16. It is also stipulated in Article 17 (b), that in the admission of pupils to the School, preference shall be given to pupils on whose behalf a reasonable undertaking or formal assurance is given that they will remain at a Secondary School up to at least the age of 16; and the Governors shall require such an undertaking or assurance if they consider it necessary to do so in order that the School may comply with the requirements of Article 2.

The reasons which made it desirable to prescribe the new conditions for grant were referred to in the report for 1920. The following information shows the present position, as regards age of leaving, in Welsh Intermediate Schools :

Number of Full-time Pupils who left during the School Year

It will be observed that no less than 2,714 pupils out of the total of 5,102 leavers, or 53 2 per cent., left before they attained the age of 16; the figures for the girls were a little better than those for the boys, the percentage of girls leaving under 16 being 475 per cent., and of boys 59 3 per cent.

In 1919-20 the corresponding percentages were 57.2 for the boys and 51.2 for the girls. The position in 1920-21 was thus slightly better than in the previous year, but, as more than half the number left before the age of 16, the improvement required to reach the standard set by the new Regulations is very great and will need the utmost exertion on the part of all concerned beforeit is effected.

VI.-PRESSURE ON SCHOOL ACCOMMODATION AND

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION.

Reference was made in last year's report to the great pressure upon the accommodation of the schools due to the rapid increase in numbers of pupils and the difficulties in the way of extending. the accommodation to cope with the larger numbers. The numbers have since continued to grow while the difficulties in the way of providing additional accommodation have become still greater the internal organisation of the schools has consequently become very difficult. One unfortunate result has been a tendency to turn into ordinary classrooms the accommodation originally provided for instruction in practical subjects, such as manual work, and domestic subjects and to place classes in the central halls, thus encroaching upon the already inadequate space for physical training. In some schools practical instruction runs the risk of being altogether squeezed out of the curriculum The Board, whilst recognising the very difficult position in which a school is placed when it has to find room for larger numbers of pupils than the classrooms can satisfactorily accommodate, desire

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