HC Deb 22 October 1953 vol 518 cc2124-5
6 and 7. Dr. King

asked the Minister of Education (1) the number of primary school classes with over 40 pupils, and the number with over 50 pupils, in January, 1953;

(2) the number of secondary school classes with over 40 pupils, and the number with over 50 pupils, in January, 1953.

9. Mr. Morley

asked the Minister of Education the number of classes of over 40, 50 and 60, respectively, in primary schools and of over 30, 40 and 50, respectively, in secondary schools, in January, 1953.

Miss Horsbrugh

With permission I will, since the answer contains a number of figures, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Dr. King

Can the Minister tell us offhand whether the position is better or worse than in January, 1952?

Miss Horsbrugh

There are many points that come into this and I should like the hon. Gentleman to look at the figures, but, taking the matter broadly, and primary and secondary schools together, with the extra schools that we now have, the increase is less than 2 per cent. In the primary schools there is an increase. In the secondary schools the position is better.

Mr. Morley

Is the right hon. Lady aware that since she has been Minister of Education the number of classes with 40 and more on the roll has increased by over 9,000? Is not that a disgraceful state of affairs? What does she propose to do about it?

Miss Horsbrugh

Since I became Minister of Education the numbers of classes, teachers and children have increased in the schools. I am glad to tell the hon. Gentleman that, taking the figures in the report of the National Advisory Council on the Training and Supply of Teachers and the staffing ratio, these are slightly better than they expected they might be when they reported.

Mr. M. Stewart

Does the right hon. Lady remember that the figures she gave the House yesterday showed an increase not only in the number of classes with over 40 but in the proportion that that number of classes bears to the whole? Does that not reflect on the casual optimism with which she answered my hon. Friend the Member for Aston (Mr. Wyatt)?

Miss Horsbrugh

I do not think it was casual optimism. I am sometimes optimistic, but I do not think that my optimism has been casual. What I said was that taking the whole thing, the primary and secondary schools together, the rise is worse by just under 2 per cent.

Following is the answer:

SIZE OF CLASSES IN MAINTAINED AND ASSISTED PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS (OTHER THAN NURSERY AND SPECIAL SCHOOLS) IN ENGLAND AND WALES, JANUARY, 1953.

Primary

Total number of classes—125,357.

Classes with over 40 pupils—* 40,641.

Classes with over 50 pupils—*1,338.

Classes with over 60 pupils—*12.

*Included in previous totals.

NOTE.—Of the classes with over 60 pupils, two were assembled only for registration purposes, eight others are now being taught by more than one teacher, and the two remaining have been reduced in size.

Secondary

Total number of classes—60,154.

Classes with over 30 pupils—†28,861.

Classes with over 40 pupils—†2,561.

Classes with over 50 pupils—†42.

†lncluded in previous totals.

NOTE.—Some of the apparently large classes were assembled only for registration purposes.