HC Deb 14 January 1985 vol 71 cc22-4W
Mr. Alex Carlile

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many nursery schools pupils there were in Wales in each of the years 1979 to 1984; and how many nursery school places were available in each of those years.

Mr. Stradling Thomas

The information is as follows:

Numbers of pupils attending maintained nursery schools in Wales
Full-time Part-time
1978–79 1,808 2,786
1979–80 1,702 2,624
1980–81 1,604 2,591
1981–82 1,466 2,654
1982–83 1,468 2,856
1983–84 1,463 2,962

These figures do not include pupils attending nursery classes in primary schools. Information as to the number of nursery school places is not available centrally.

Mr. Alex Carlile

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any proposals for the future development of pre-school and nursery education in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Stradling Thomas

The Welsh Office will continue to provide an element of financial support to organisations which cater for pre-school children. Provision for under-fives by local education authorities in Wales is at a high level, some 85 per cent. of 3 and 4 year-olds being catered for and Government policy assumes that provision will continue at this level. Provision in any particular area, however, is for individual local education authorities to determine in the light of all the relevant circumstances.

Pupil-teacher ratios in maintained primary schools
1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84
Clwyd 23.1 22.9 23.3 23.2 23.2
Dyfed 18.4 18.8 19.1 19.2 19.0
Gwent 22.8 22.8 22.8 22.1 22.3
Gwynedd 20.5 19.9 19.5 19.8 19.7
Mid Glamorgan 23.6 23.6 23.5 23.5 22.3
Powys 18.7 18.7 19.5 18.8 18.6
South Glamorgan 23.2 22.8 22.9 22.9 22.9
West Glamorgan 21.1 20.7 21.2 21.4 21.5

Pupil-teacher ratios in maintained secondary schools
1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84
Clwyd 17.0 17.0 17.2 16.9 16.7
Dyfed 16.8 16.6 16.4 16.4 16.1
Gwent 16.1 16.6 16.4 16.1 15.8
Gwynedd 16.2 16.1 16.0 16.0 15.5
Mid Glamorgan 16.8 16.8 17.6 17.4 16.6
Powys 16.0 15.9 15.7 15.9 15.6
South Glamorgan 16.8 16.9 16.9 16.7 16.7
West Glamorgan 16.4 16.1 16.0 15.8 15.7

Mr. Rogers

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the estimated pupil-teacher ratios in the maintained primary and secondary schools in the local education authorities of Wales for the year 1984–85.

Mr. Stradling Thomas

Estimated pupil-teacher ratios for 1984–85 are not available.

1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 *1983–84
£ outturn prices
Net recurrent institutional costs per primary pupil†
Clwyd 416 538 631 683 727
Dyfed 464 620 700 740 728
Gwent 435 553 634 706 750
Gwynedd 414 541 642 722 715
Mid Glamorgan 440 568 632 715 788
Powys 532 665 758 816 879
South Glamorgan 421 534 593 646 682
West Glamorgan 508 626 707 763 807
£ 1983–84 prices‡
Clwyd 604 659 703 713 727
Dyfed 674 759 780 773 728
Gwent 632 677 705 737 750
Gwynedd 601 663 715 754 715
Mid Glamorgan 639 696 704 747 788
Powys 773 814 844 852 879
South Glamorgan 611 654 660 674 682
West Glamorgan 738 767 787 797 807
£ outturn prices
Net recurrent institutional costs per secondary pupil†
Clwyd 570 724 833 904 996
Dyfed 603 752 855 911 958