§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children commenced primary school education reception classes in 1985 under the age of four years and nine months; how this figure compares with that in each year since 1979; and if he is satisfied that proper nursery education provision is made for them.
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§ Mr. DunnThe Department does not collect information on pupils commencing school. Annual returns are made on the number of children in infant classes in maintained primary schools in England on the census day in January. The published figures for under-fives exclude children whose fifth birthday fell between the previous September and December, ie those over four years eight months on 31 August. The annual totals from 1979 onwards are:
Annual total 1979 218,392 1980 213,469 1981 206,507 1982 201,279 1983 210,372 1984 236,417
Student/staff ratios 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 University Aston 10.5 10.2 10.0 10.5 11.0 11.9 Birmingham 8.6 8.4 8.3 8.5 8.7 9.1 Warwick 10.5 10.2 10.6 11.5 11.2 11.4 Polytechnic (advanced level work only) Birmingham 9.7 9.2 9.4 8.8 7.8 10.5 Lanchester 9.0 9.6 9.7 10.0 10.7 10.9 Wolverhampton 8.0 9.0 9.7 9.9 10.6 11.5 University student-staff ratios are calculated as the full-time equivalent student load divided by the number of full-time departmental academic staff paid wholly from university funds. Polytechnics student-staff ratios are calculated as full-time equivalent student load divided by the full-time equivalent number of lecturers who are involved in teaching. The university ratios are therefore not directly comparable with those for the public sector, although the polytechnic figures are restricted to advanced level work only.