INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29458, 9 March 1961, Page 13

INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS

Parents Approve In Survey

Criticism of intermediate schools which had appeared in newspapers in 1959 had been satisfactorily answered by the results of a survey taken among parents of pupils at the four intermediate schools in Christchurch, the Intermediate Schools Principals’ Group in Christchurch told the Education Commission yesterday. The survey had covered a large number of parents and could be taken as a representative expression of opinion on the merits and demerits of intermediate schools.

The analysis of the replies from the four schools to an answer to the question what was the emotional reaction of their child on his transfer to the intermediate school showed that 82 per cent, said there was none. 4.5 per cent, said the child was considerably unsettled and 11.3 per cent, said there was a slight unsettling. It was submitted that this refuted one of the major complaints about intermediate schools that many pupils were unsettled after leaving their primarv school.

Answers to a question whether the child was eager to transfer to an intermediate school were: 75 7 per cent were eager. 21.5 per cent were not very concerned and only 2.5 per cent, were unwilling. In answer to a further Question 82 per cent, had said thev thought their children had benefited from the approach to education at an intermediate school. Five per cent, said there had been no benefit and 11.8 per cent were undecided. The submission said that the last Question, did the parents think that the school had succeeded in matching courses of instruction with the ability, was the most important and had received an affirmative reply from 85.3 per cent, of the parents. Two oer cent, had said the school had faded in this and 13 per cent, were undecided or had no answer.

This latter point was regarded as the most important part of the functions of an intermediate school and it appeared from the survey that the schools in Christchurch had in that respect been successful, said the submission.