§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what impact changes in public expenditure on schools have had on class sizes since May 1997; and if he will make a statement. [130284]
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§ Ms Estelle MorrisSince this Government came to power, the average size of Key Stage 1 classes has fallen dramatically, and we are well on course to deliver our pledge to limit infant classes to 30 pupils. £620 million is available to support the pledge, and allocations so far to Lancashire LEA amount to nearly £15 million. This has helped to reduce the size of the average Key Stage 1 class in the Burnley parliamentary constituency to 25.6. The figure in January 1998 was 27.1.
As far as funding more generally is concerned, while spending per pupil fell by £60 between 1994 and 1997, we have increased it by £300 per pupil in real terms since 1997. This has helped to reverse the trend towards bigger classes in primary schools. The size of the average primary class fell in January 2000 for the second year running, after rising for the previous 10 years. The size of the average Key Stage 2 class has also started to fall—from 28.4 in January 1999 to 28.3 in January 2000.
The average size of secondary classes has risen slightly, but at 22 still remains more than five below those in primary schools. Class sizes in secondary schools have been rising steadily since 1988, when the figure was 19.9. The pupil/teacher ratio in secondary schools is 17.1—more than six lower than in primary schools. In the budget earlier this year, secondary heads each received between £30,000 and £50,000. It remains for heads to decide how to use this money, but if spent on teachers, the secondary pupil/teacher ratio could be reduced by 0.4.