HC Deb 30 March 1976 vol 908 c433W
35. Mr. Jessel

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science approximately how many children he expects, on the basis of projected birth rate trends, to enter primary schools each year from 1981 to 1986.

Miss Margaret Jackson

Pupils enter primary schools at varying ages between 2 and 5. Information is collected and projections made of the numbers attending schools but not of those starting school for the first time. On the basis of the latest projection of births published by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, the numbers of 5-year-olds in maintained primary schools in England and Wales are projected to be1981, 559,000; 1982, 559,000; 1983, 564,000; 1984, 581,000; 1985, 607,000; 1986, 640,000.