The great majority of our postgraduates attended
university to obtain their degrees. A small propor-
tion, 8.6%, had been at a polytechnic ..... two-
thirds (65.9%) had been awarded single subject degrees,
a statistic which has clear implications in the
current circumstances, when young teachers are being
recommended to teach more than one subject. (1982 P25)
Within the possible homogeneity of
appears that
the single subject degrees it
..... of 2847 students with a single subject degree,
146 separate named subjects appeared and even when
grouped the number is still 74 - with diversity more
marked in maths and science. Whilst the bulk of
students in English and Maths methods had such degrees
there is also a sizeable proportion whose degree
subject was only very loosely related. (1982 P26)
The limitations on possible diversity here are such as to restrict
the previous educational experience of teachers within a narrow frame-
work of type of degree and institution which may match neither the
needs of school populations nor curriculum. Overall the research
found a trend towards increasing numbers of women with a preponderance
of middle class students who had themselves been
to selective schools.
Whilst the researchers
acknowledge
that
were educated before
the expansion of Comprehensives the position at the time of the
research was that 53.6% of the men had received their secondary
education in selective schools or the independent sector as had
55∙3% of the women (Table 2.9 P23).
Students' social class background was related to institutions for
it was found that there were "significant differences between the
various institutions in relation to the social class of their intakes"
(1982 P82). The difference in student populations are reflected
in the following comments "Six of the departments contained at least
