Class Sizes (Hansard, 14 November 1996)

§ Dr. Hampson
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many classes in (a) primary and (b) secondary education there are with over 30 pupils; what were the figures in 1979; and what has been the percentage change. [3883]
339W

§ Mr. Robin Squire
The information requested is shown in the following table:

Number of classes of 31 or more pupils taught by one teacher in maintained primary and secondary schools

England

Position in January in each year (1979 and 1996)

1979 1996 Percentage change

Primary 44,899 38,338 -14.6

Secondary¹ 17,255 7,351 -57.4

¹ Excludes pupils in sixth form colleges which ceased to be classified as schools in April 1993.

§ Mr. Don Foster
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is her estimate of the cost of reducing to a maximum of 30 maintained infant and primary school classes for pupils aged between five and 11 years. [3881]

§ Mr. Squire
The Department's statisticians estimate that it would have cost between £310 million and £570 million to reduce to a maximum of 30 pupils all single-teacher nursery and primary classes in January 1996. The exact cost would depend on the extent to which children in larger classes could be accommodated in existing smaller classes or grouped together in new classes. The estimated costs are for extra teachers only, and make no allowance for further costs such as extra accommodation.

§ Dr. Hampson
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what has been the (a) pupil—teacher ratio in each year and (b) the expenditure per pupil in each year since 1980. [3882]

§ Mr. Squire
The available information is shown in the following table:

Pupil: teacher ratio and expenditure per pupil for maintained nursery, primary and secondary¹ schools

England

1979–1980 to 1995–1996

Financial year Overall pupil: teacher ratio² Expenditure ^3,4 per pupil(£)

1979–1980 18.7 513

1980–1981 18.6 651

1981–1982 18.5 740

1982–1983 18.1 811

1983–1984 17.9 872

1984–1985 17.8 924

1985–1986 17.6 991

1986–1987 17.3 1,110

1987–1988 17.0 1,238

1988–1989 17.0 1,361

1989–1990 17.0 1,487

1990–1991 17.2 1,623

1991–1992 17.2 1,749

1992–1993 17.7 1,857

1993–1994 18.1 1,866

1994–1995 18.3 1,890

1995–1996 18.5 n/a

¹ Excludes sixth form colleges from 1993–1994.

² Position in January.

³ Net institutional expenditure in cash terms.

⁴ Includes LEA maintained schools only.

n/a = not available.

Number of classes of 31 or more pupils taught by one teacher in maintained primary and secondary schools
England
Position in January in each year (1979 and 1996)
	1979	1996	Percentage change
Primary	44,899	38,338	-14.6
Secondary¹	17,255	7,351	-57.4
¹ Excludes pupils in sixth form colleges which ceased to be classified as schools in April 1993.

Pupil: teacher ratio and expenditure per pupil for maintained nursery, primary and secondary¹ schools
England
1979–1980 to 1995–1996
Financial year	Overall pupil: teacher ratio²	Expenditure ^3,4 per pupil(£)
1979–1980	18.7	513
1980–1981	18.6	651
1981–1982	18.5	740
1982–1983	18.1	811
1983–1984	17.9	872
1984–1985	17.8	924
1985–1986	17.6	991
1986–1987	17.3	1,110
1987–1988	17.0	1,238
1988–1989	17.0	1,361
1989–1990	17.0	1,487
1990–1991	17.2	1,623
1991–1992	17.2	1,749
1992–1993	17.7	1,857
1993–1994	18.1	1,866
1994–1995	18.3	1,890
1995–1996	18.5	n/a
¹ Excludes sixth form colleges from 1993–1994.
² Position in January.
³ Net institutional expenditure in cash terms.
⁴ Includes LEA maintained schools only.
n/a = not available.