HC Deb 16 June 1981 vol 6 cc338-9W
40. Mr. Trippier

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils were undertaking full-time primary and secondary education at the latest date for which figures are available.

Dr. Boyson

In January 1980 there were 8,736,500 full-time pupils attending maintained and non-maintained schools in England. The distribution of these pupils between the various types of school is given below:

Full-time pupils
Maintained schools
Nursery 14,185
Primary 4,210,328
Secondary 3,866,102
Special schools (maintained and non-maintained) 128,848
Non-maintained schools (excluding special schools) 517,037

42. Mr. Chapman

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the latest estimate of the average number of pupils per class in primary and secondary schools, respectively, in England; and how these figures compare with five years before.

Dr. Boyson

The information available in respect of maintained primary and secondary schools in England is as follows:

Average numbers of pupils in classes as taught
pupils
Primary schools
January 1977* 27.5
January 1980 25.7
Secondary schools
January 1975 21.7
January 1980 21.6
* Information about classes as taught was not collected from primary schools before 1977.

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