§ Mr. StrawTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what regulations or guidance concerning school premises and pupil-teacher ratios have been issued in respect of nursery schools and classes.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerPremises for maintained nursery schools and classes are subject to the Education (School Premises) Regulations, 1981. The last central guidance on the staffing of this provision was issued 16 years ago, by way of circular 2/73 and administrative memorandum 21/73. The Government have no plans to update this. They look to authorities to determine the appropriate levels of staffing for this provision in the knowledge that the prevailing ratios—a pupil:teacher ratio of 22.9:1 within an overall pupil:adult ratio of 102:1—are better than those envisaged in 1973.