§ 3. Mr. Harry GreenwayTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children of primary and secondary school age are in what number of schools; what is the average class size in primary and secondary schools: and if he will make a statement.
§ The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Sir Patrick Mayhew)At October 1992, there were 185,626 pupils in 983 primary schools and 145,512 pupils in 234 secondary schools. The average class size in primary schools was 24.9 pupils. Information on class sizes is not collected for secondary schools.
§ Mr. GreenwayIs my right hon. and learned Friend aware that the quality of education in Northern Ireland is, rightly, highly renowned throughout the United Kingdom? Is he further aware that although excellence in education does not necessarily depend on class size, the class sizes in primary schools which he has mentioned are a matter for congratulation?
§ Sir Patrick MayhewI am grateful to my hon. Friend, with his professional and lifelong experience of education, for what he says and for his tribute to the quality of education in Northern Ireland. It has the best rates for A-levels for those leaving school, so my hon. Friend's tributes are well deserved. Class size is a helpful indicator, but, as he rightly says, it is the quality of teaching rather than the size of schools which is the primary determinant of results.
§ Mr. BeggsDoes the Secretary of State agree that children who have had the benefit of a good nursery education are more likely to realise their full potential as they proceed through primary and secondary schools? Will he undertake to review the current low level of provision of nursery education places in Northern Ireland? Will he seek to make funding available to the boards so that they can increase nursery school places? Will he also take account of the importance of the early diagnosis and 1151 recognition of children with special educational needs, and will he seek to encourage earlier identification and additional remedial assistance for those children?
§ Sir Patrick MayhewI very much agree with the hon. Gentleman on what he says about the importance of nursery education. It is easy for a child from a deprived home or with particular difficulties to join the losers' club if he or she gets to school, finds that he or she cannot keep up and resorts therefore to the truculence and disagreeable behaviour with which we are all familiar.
The overall proportion of three and four-year-olds in nursery education in Northern Ireland—46 per cent.—is broadly in line with that in England and Wales. That is something which we wish to improve. I should like to write to the hon. Gentleman about the latter part of his question.