XN000022-1976-04-07 — Page 33

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Wednesday, April 7, 1976

"Ac is well known the worki g party on measures to replace the

Secondary School Entrance Examination has reported and its proposals have

been widely discussed.

"This debate has brought cut clearly the conflict between the desire

to retain and develop excellent education for the benefit of some pupile

and also for the community through the production of effective leaders and

trained professionals on the one hand, and on the other the desire to give

a fair chance for everyone through mixed ability intake.

"The debate is not yet finished and clearly we must steer carefully

to avoid either injustice, or chaos resulting from a too rapid and

doctrinaire re-arrangement of our system.

*The guidance given by the White Paper suggests that we must

give the fairest possible chance to everyone, but we must not in the process

destroy or undermine the good work of the past," Mr. Topley cautioned.

Turning to long-term commitments, the Director said it was neces-kry

to re-examine the Schools Building Programe in the light of finencil

forecasts, the probable rate of development of the new towns and their

forecast demographic characteristics in order to determine how many schools

could and should be built and where.

"These forecasts together with the guidelines laid down in the

White Paper on Secondary Education for the appropriate mix of schools will

decide what will be the proportions of asymmetrical, gramer and technic:1

schools.

"This will be the mechanism by which we first phase out bought

places and, second, reduce extended day and flotation to a reasonable uinimum.

"It will be a