HC Deb 13 May 1993 vol 224 cc525-6W
Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many four-year-olds were in classes in infant schools in England, excluding four-year-olds in nursery classes of infant schools or in nursery schools in 1987 and 1991; and what percentage this was of the age group.

Mr. Forth

The information requested is given in the table.

Pupils aged 4 attending infant classes in maintained infant schools in England.
Position as at January each year.
Number of pupils aged four1 As a percentage of the four year old population2
1987 71,025 18
1991 76,703 18
1 Ages as at previous 31 August—excluding the rising fives who by January will have reached the age of five.
2 Based on the estimated four-year-old population as at previous 31 August—again excluding the rising fives.