§ Mr. Barry Jonesasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the number of classes of 31 pupils and over in England as a percentage of the total number of classes in(a) the maintained primary sector and (b) the maintained secondary sector for every year since 1979.
§ Mr. DunnThe number of classes with 31 pupils and over as a percentage of all classes in maintained primary and secondary schools in England each year since 1979 is as follows. The analyses relate to classes taught by one teacher on a selected period within the day of the census count in January of each year and may not, therefore, be representative of the pattern of classes over the academic year as a whole.
January each year Primary schools1 Secondary schools1 1979 27.4 10.3 1980 23.6 8.9 1981 22.6 8.4 1982 21.6 7.9 1983 19.9 7.6 1984 19.1 7.1 1985 19.4 7.0 1986 20.2 6.3 1 Includes middle schools as deemed.