§ Mr. Lilleyasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what information he has on the average pupil-teacher ratio in primary and secondary schools in other advanced industrial countries including the United States of America, Japan, West Germany, France, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics;
(2) what information he has about the average class size in primary and secondary schools in other advanced industrial countries, including the United States of America, Japan, West Germany, France and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
§ Mr. DunnThe available information is shown in the following table but it is not possible to provide data on a strictly comparable basis for each country. Data are mainly based on full-time equivalent teachers numbers except where stated. The precise definition of "teacher" can vary between countries and may include staff not engaged in teaching. Reference is made to further differences in the footnotes to the table. Average class size data for up to first level are included in the table. Class size information for second level education is not available.
Pupil/Teacher ratios, class sizes* 1982–83 Country Class size Pupil/teacher ratios up to 1st level† up to 1st level† 2nd level‡ United States . . 24.5 ║13.7 Japan . . ║24.2 ║18.1 Germany, Federal Republic of 22.7 21.9 ¶17.5 France —public 22.4 22.4 13.6 —private 25.3 25.3 . . USSR . . ║•14.0 Belgium —Dutch speaking 19.1 18.2 . . —Francophone 20.8 21.9 . . Ireland 31.2 27.5 15.2 Italy 16.5 15.2 ■ 10.1 Netherlands 24.8 21.4 *19.2 United Kingdom —1982–83 #25.1 **22.1 ‡‡14.7 —1983–84 #25.0 **22.0 ‡‡14.5 . . Not available. Footnotes:
* Data extracted from reply to a written European parliamentary question (1503/84) except where otherwise stated.
398W† Equates broadly with nursery and primary education.
‡ Equates broadly with secondary school education and non-advanced further education.
║ Based on head counts not full-time equivalent.
¶ Derived from FDR publication.
• 1983–84.
■ Lower secondary schools only.
* Second level general only.
# Covers maintained primary schools in England, corresponding figures for maintained secondary schools are 21.1 in 1982–83 and 20.9 in 1983–84.
** Maintained nursery and primary schools.
‡‡ Maintained secondary schools and non-advanced further education. The figures for maintained secondary schools alone are 16.2 in 1982–83 and 16.0 in 1983–84.