Dec. 18.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2955

Education Act, 1914.—Amended Regulations.

ROBERT STOUT,
Administrator of the Government.
ORDER IN COUNCIL.
At the Government House at Wellington, this 12th day of December, 1924.
Present:

HIS EXCELLENCY THE ADMINISTRATOR PRESIDING IN COUNCIL.
IN pursuance and exercise of the powers and authorities vested in him by the Education Act, 1914, and the amendments of that Act, and all other powers and authorities enabling him in this behalf, His Excellency the Administrator of the Government of the Dominion of New Zealand, acting by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council of the said Dominion, doth hereby make the amendments set forth in the Schedule hereto in the regulations in force at the making of this Order relating to the organization, examination, and inspection of public schools; and, with the like advice and consent, doth prescribe that this Order shall come into force on the date of the publication hereof in the New Zealand Gazette.

SCHEDULE.

CLAUSES 2 and 3 are hereby revoked, and the following substituted:—

2. The head teacher shall arrange for, and the Inspector take cognizance of, the organization of the school in respect of the following:—

(1.) The classification of the pupils in accordance with any method approved by the Inspector.
The head teacher shall have full discretion to arrange his pupils in different classes for different subjects according to their ability and proficiency, and to group two or more classes for instruction in one subject, but he must exercise this discretion to the satisfaction of the Inspector.
Pupils shall for all purposes of record, but not necessarily of teaching, be classified according to their capacity and attainment in English.
The classification of a school shall be determined at the beginning of the year; but, if necessary, promotion of individual pupils from class to class may be made at any other time by the head teacher. In the preparatory division, especially where it contains three or more classes, the pupils should be promoted at least half-yearly.
No part of these regulations is to be read in such a way as to discourage or prevent the more rapid promotion of children who exhibit more than average mental capacity or intelligence as compared with other children of the same age. The retardation of pupils is always to be regarded as an element of weakness, and the Inspector shall require from the head teacher an explanation of every case of unduly retarded progress.

(2.) The effective distribution of the staff with a view to (a) utilizing the special aptitudes of the assistants, and (b) a fair apportionment of labour with due regard to the relative positions of the assistants on the school staff.
The first female assistant should be allotted definite duties in connection with the education and care of the older girls.

(3.) The preparation of schemes of work not later than the second week of each school year.
The head teacher shall prepare the schemes in outline, and shall explain and discuss them with the whole of his staff. He shall then require his assistants to elaborate his outline with such attention to detail as he may deem necessary.
All the schemes of work shall be submitted to the Inspector, who should see—

(a.) That in the preparatory and junior classes the scheme of work drawn up by the teacher does not make greater demands on the pupils than the syllabus provides for;

(b.) That such essentials as accuracy of speech, intelligent reading, and accuracy in arithmetic are not neglected through over-emphasis on other subjects or phases of work;

(c.) That the schemes provide for proper sequence both with regard to matter and method in the work from class to class, especially in such subjects as history, geography, nature-study, and drawing, and that needless overlapping is avoided;

(d.) That the correlation of subject with subject is arranged for in a natural manner, and that the instruction given at manual-training centres is not divorced from the other subjects of instruction. The head teacher of every school sending pupils to manual-training classes should be furnished by the controlling authority with a copy of the instructors' schemes of work.