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VI. THE EDUCATION ACT - PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE OF AND OPINION ON PROPOSED CHANGES

The previous sections have dealt with the broad general attitude to the education process and opinion on the need for change. The present section attempts to summarize the extent of public knowledge of the changes introduced by the new Act.

Knowledge of the Education Act

The most obvious objective is to ascertain the proportion of the population which knows anything about the Education Act.

A large proportion of the population are, to say the least, unclear of the potentialities of the new Act. Somewhat more men than women knew some of the changes introduced by the Act, but the proportion of men aged under 30 who knew about them is low.

Fewer people in Wales than in the other regions of the Country knew some of the changes, and there were clear differences in the proportions of the different economic groups who knew about them.

The differences found between economic groups are reflected in analysis by groups with different levels of education.

Little difference was found between the proportions aware of changes in different occupation groups, except that more of those in the clerical, professional and managerial group were aware of the changes introduced by the Act than those in other groups.

There is no very marked relationship between knowledge of the changes now possible and personal attitudes to education. In the following table, the answers to this question have been analysed by answers to a question on the value of greater public expenditure on education.

A significantly higher proportion of those who knew about the changes introduced by the Act than of those who did not think further expenditure on education worthwhile. But the difference between the two groups is not very great.

Clearly, however, a simple “yes” in answer to the question “Do you know of any of the changes” in itself is sufficient indication of the extent of knowledge. All informants saying they knew of such changes were therefore asked to say what they were. 45% of the sample claimed to know about changes. 29% mentioned only one change, 11% two changes, and 3% three changes. 2% mentioned no specific change. It is quite clear therefore, that of the 45%, claiming to know about the new Education Act, a very large proportion has limited knowledge only.

The upper economic groups and those with secondary or higher education were able to mention rather more changes than the other groups.

In the following table a summary is given of the answers given by informants when they were asked to specify changes.

It will be seen that a few of the 45% claiming to know of the changes, either showed by their answers that they did not know, or in fact said so. The points which seem to have made the strongest impression were the raising of the school leaving age, and free secondary education. It will be noticed however that only 32% of the whole sample knew about the raising of the school leaving age. The percentages in the table above do not add to 100 because some informants mentioned more than one point. Each of the changes was mentioned by larger proportions of the upper income groups and of those with education of a secondary or higher level, than of other groups.

It is an interesting point of detail, that the extent of knowledge of informants with children is very similar to that of informants with no children. This is in line with previous information showing little difference in attitude between parents and others.

The answers to this question show that the majority of the population have little precise knowledge of the changes introduced by the Act, and ignorance is especially marked in those sections of the population whom the new Act is most likely to benefit.

The rise in the school leaving age

Lack of knowledge of the improvements introduced by the new Act does not of course imply that there will be lack of support for them. It seemed worthwhile to select one or two of the main features of the Act and to attempt to sound opinion on those changes. All informants, whether or not they had mentioned the raising of the school leaving age in answer to the previous question, were asked “you have (or have not) mentioned raising the school leaving age. This is being raised to 15 or 16, what do you think about this?” It was at that time not possible to give a definite school leaving age, so there was some degree of vagueness in the question.

It will be noticed that the column above adds to more than 100%. This is because some informants made more than one answer. About 50% of the sample approved without qualification. About 40% of the sample qualified their approval, and it will be noticed that about a quarter did so with reference to the financial conditions of the parents being considered. About 7% of the sample qualified their approval with reference to the need for taking into account the child’s intelligence. The kind of occupation the child wanted to take up was mentioned by 7% and improvement in the present quality of schools was mentioned by 6%. The qualification of approval with regard to the financial conditions of parents was expressed by 30% of the lower income groups, as against 18% of the upper income groups. Once again there was very little difference in opinion between informants with children and those without.

Another way of approaching this question was also used. All informants were asked the direct question “Do you think it better for a child to be at school until 15 or 16 or better for the child to leave school at 14 and go to work?”

It will be seen that a majority of the sample was in favour of children staying on at school, but a quarter did not think that a decision about this could be made for all children. They were of the opinion that it was better for some children to stay at school and, for others to go to work. A small proportion, 5% would be in favour of children staying on at school if some changes were made in the present school system. Those informants saying that the children were better at work are of course only a small section of the population. Half of these people, or 3% of the whole sample said that they thought that children were “old enough at 14 to get out into the world” or “had learnt enough by that age”. A quarter of those thinking children were better at work at 14, that is to say less than 2% of the sample said that “children’s money is needed at home” or “parents cannot afford it.”

It will be seen that the parents of children with secondary school education, that is to say those with practical experience of the value of schooling after 14 years of age, are rather more favourable to children’s staying on at school than other parents. It will be noticed that equal, large proportions of both groups think that it is better for some children to stay on after 14 and others to leave.

It will be noted in the first place, that many more parents of children with elementary education are in favour of further money being spent, than give an unqualified approval to the idea of children staying on at school after 14 (71% against 51%). There is a difference of the same kind with the parents of children with secondary school education where 90% approved of additional expenditure on education, but 65% gave an unqualified approval to the idea of children staying on at school after 14.

It follows from this, that whilst there is a clear majority approval for increased education, in the opinions of a considerable minority of parents whose children have left school, this should take other forms than letting children stay on ay school after 14.

Those informants, amounting to a quarter of the sample, who said that some children were better at school after 14 and others better at work, had various comments to make. Their points are noted below:-

The 46% shown above represents a little less than 10% of the whole sample. These people thought it depended on the child. A further 21%, being 5% of the whole sample, were more concerned about the economic difficulties that might arise.

It will be seen from the preceding tables and comments, that there is much wider support for one of the main changes introduced by the new Act, than would appear from a simple question designed to find how much in general was known about the Act. Whereas only about a third of the sample showed knowledge of this provision without being prompted over two-thirds approved of the principle. At least one half of the sample gave unqualified approval to the raising of the school leaving age, and a further very large proportion of the population favoured the raising of the school leaving age, providing the need for adequate financial assistance is borne in mind.

Free Secondary education

A direct question was also put on free secondary education after the age of 11. The question was “By the new Act Primary (elementary) Education will end at 11 years. From that age, all children will be given free secondary education up to 15 or 16 or later. What do you think of this?”

It will be seen that two-thirds of the sample gave unqualified approval to this provision of the Act. About a quarter of the sample gave only qualified approval. Only 3% of the sample disagreed with the principle as a whole and a further 4% disagreed either with the age at which secondary education is to start, the final school leaving age, or other points.

Once again there is a very sharp difference between the proportion mentioning this provision in the Act, voluntarily, and the amount of approval given this point when a direct question was asked about it. It will be remembered from a previous table that only 13% of the sample mentioned free secondary education as one of the provisions of the Act known to them. There was a course a further small section of the sample whose comments, such as “general improvements, raise standard of education” or “education according to the ability of the child”, indicated that they were thinking along these lines. Certainly however, less than 20% of the sample at the very outside, were able to mention voluntarily this provision of the Act.

Boarding School

Two-thirds of the sample similarly approved of the possibility of children’s going away from home during part of the school period. This proportion was higher in the upper income groups.

The older men were slightly more favourable than the older women, but apart from this the views of men and women were similar. The sharpest difference of opinion was between the economic groups, and 32% of the lowest economic group disapproved against only 6% in the highest economic group.

Those who approved were asked to say why they approved. Their answers are given below:-

These percentages add to more than 100 since some people expressed more than one reason for approving, or qualified their approval in more than one way. The main emphasis among the reasons for approval is on the development of independence amongst the children, which living away from home is thought to encourage. It will be further noted, that considerable proportions approved of boarding schools for children with particular kind of backgrounds or temperament.

Those disapproving of boarding schools for children were also asked to give their reasons.

It will be seen that the main emphasis here is on the child’s need of home life and influences.

It will be noted that the proportion approving these various provisions of the Act is about two-thirds of the sample in each case. This may be taken as indicating clearly, majority approval for the points on which questions were asked, and it is clear from the various comments made, that there is further approval in principle from considerable proportions of the population whose complete approval is conditioned by their awareness of special problems needing special handling.

However, whilst there is this broad approval on the points mentioned, the discrepancy between the results of precise direct questions of this sort, and the general questions inviting informants to show their knowledge of the Act shows that opinion amongst large proportions of the population is certainly not active. In so far as the implementation of the Act depends on a live awareness of its potentialities, this seems to be a point worthy of consideration.