§ Mr. PriorTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what guidance his Department has issued on the optimum size of sixth form classes; [62506]
(2) if he will make a statement on the average size of sixth form classes in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) Norfolk. [62507]
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§ Ms Estelle MorrisThe average size of sixth form classes in England is 10.7 and in Norfolk is 10.2. The size of classes in the rest of the United Kingdom is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales.
The Department has issued no guidance on the optimum size of sixth form classes. In deciding what courses to offer in their sixth forms, schools must weigh up issues such as quality of provision, demand for particular courses, breadth of curricular choices accessible to students across the area, cost effectiveness and financial implications for the school as a whole.
§ Mr. PriorTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what guidance his Department has issued on the optimum size of a sixth form college so that it is able to provide an appropriate choice of subjects. [62508]