Class Sizes (Hansard, 3 July 2000)

§ Mr. Martlew
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the average primary class size in Cumbria was in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement. [128285]

§ Ms Estelle Morris
The requested information is shown in the following table.
In the Cumbria local education authority area, the number of pupils in key stage 1 classes of 31 or more pupils was 854 in January 2000, compared with 2,572 a year earlier. This means that as few as 5.3 per cent. of these pupils remain in classes of over 30 pupils. Allocations of funding in Cumbria to support reductions in infant class sizes have so far amounted to £3.7 million. This funding has helped reduce the average size of key stage 1 classes in the Parliamentary constituency of Carlisle from 27.6 in January 1997, to 25 in January 2000. Over the same time period, the average size of key stage 2 classes in the constituency has fallen from 27.4 to 26.3; and the size of the average primary class from 27.4 to 25.7.
The Government are well on target to deliver their infant class size pledge in England with some £620 million made available to support the pledge. The number of pupils in infant classes of over 30 pupils has already fallen by 300,000.
75W

Size of classes taught by one teacher in maintained primary schools in Cumbria local education authority 1979 to 2000

Position as at January each year

Key stage 1 Key stage 2 Overall primary¹

Average class size Number of pupils in classes of 31 or more Average class size Average class size

2000² 23.7 854 26.4 25.2

1999 24.9 2,572 26.8 25.9

1998 25.7 3,978 26.7 26.2

1997 25.9 3,788 26.9 26.3

1996 26.3 4,476 26.2 26.0

1995 ³— ³— ³— 26.2

1994 ³— ³— ³— 26.3

1993 ³— ³— ³— 25.5

1992 ³— ³— ³— 25.4

1991 ³— ³— ³— 25.2

1990 ³— ³— ³— 24.8

1989 ³— ³— ³— 24.4

1988 ³— ³— ³— 24.1

1987 ³— ³— ³— 23.7

1986 ³— ³— ³— 23.8

1985 ³— ³— ³— 23.2

1984 ³— ³— ³— 23.0

1983 ³— ³— ³— 23.4

1982 ³— ³— ³— 23.9

1981 ³— ³— ³— 24.1

1980 ³— ³— ³— 24.7

1979 ³— ³— ³— 25.2

¹Includes nursery, classes and mixed key stage classes.

²Provisional

³Not available (information not collected by specific key stages)

§ Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of classes of five, six and seven-year-olds in the Crosby constituency have been reduced since 1997. [127173]

§ Ms Estelle Morris
Information is not available in the form requested. The Department does not identify or monitor individual classes or registration groups.
The Government are well on target to deliver their pledge to limit infant classes to 30 pupils. In Crosby parliamentary constituency, the average size of key stage 1 classes taught by one teacher in maintained primary schools went down from 28.3 pupils per class in January 1997 to 26.2 pupils per class in January 2000. Since January 1997, there were 830 fewer pupils in Crosby schools being educated in key stage 1 classes of 31 or more, which represents a reduction by two-thirds of the number of pupils being educated in such classes.

Size of classes taught by one teacher in maintained primary schools in Cumbria local education authority 1979 to 2000
Position as at January each year
	Key stage 1	Key stage 2	Overall primary¹
	Average class size	Number of pupils in classes of 31 or more	Average class size	Average class size
2000²	23.7	854	26.4	25.2
1999	24.9	2,572	26.8	25.9
1998	25.7	3,978	26.7	26.2
1997	25.9	3,788	26.9	26.3
1996	26.3	4,476	26.2	26.0
1995	³—	³—	³—	26.2
1994	³—	³—	³—	26.3
1993	³—	³—	³—	25.5
1992	³—	³—	³—	25.4
1991	³—	³—	³—	25.2
1990	³—	³—	³—	24.8
1989	³—	³—	³—	24.4
1988	³—	³—	³—	24.1
1987	³—	³—	³—	23.7
1986	³—	³—	³—	23.8
1985	³—	³—	³—	23.2
1984	³—	³—	³—	23.0
1983	³—	³—	³—	23.4
1982	³—	³—	³—	23.9
1981	³—	³—	³—	24.1
1980	³—	³—	³—	24.7
1979	³—	³—	³—	25.2
¹Includes nursery, classes and mixed key stage classes.
²Provisional
³Not available (information not collected by specific key stages)