LONDON SCHOOLS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4519, 24 January 1923, Page 4

LONDON SCHOOLS.

FEWER CHILDREN ATTEND. DECREASED BIRTH-RATE. The decrease in the number of children of the elementary school class in London is specially referred to in the London County Council report, on education io/r 1921, which -was issued recently. Between 1914 and 1920 the number of suc/h; children scheduled, it isi stated, fell frbm 893,848 to 854,979, a decrease of 38,869. This was the result of the decline in the birth-rate during .the war and of other war conditions. The average roll of elementary and special schools in tlhe year ended March, 1914, was 737,482, and in the year ended March. 718,793, a decrease of 18,689. Although, owing to the recovery of the birth-rate in 1920 and 1921. the number of young children in school'will increase in the near future, it will be some years before the school rolls as a whole recover from the effect of the wai. Apart, from the effect of the birtlhn rate, increases in the child population arc taking place in a few districts’ in London owing to the provision of housing accommodation. The average number of scholars on the rolls during 1921-22 was 704,198, w'hile the average attendance was 616,200, or 87.5 per cent., g. slight decrer.se in each ease on the figures for 1920-21. The average number of children for each teacher, including Head .teachers, was 34.7 'in Council schools, and 31.8 in non-provided schools.