§ Mr. WillisTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the average class size was for classes taught by one teacher in(a) 1979 and (b) 1992, for (i) pupils in Key Stage 1, (ii) pupils in Key Stage 2, (iii) primary schools and (iv) secondary schools in each parliamentary constituency. [127211]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisThe information is not held in the form requested. Information on class sizes by Parliamentary constituency is only available from 1996 onwards. Class size figures by key stage in maintained primary schools have only been collected since 1996.
Information on class sizes by Parliamentary constituency for January 2000 has been placed in the Library.
§ Mr. BradyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many children have been turned down for their first choice of school, as a result of the limit on infant class sizes set out in the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, who(a) have applied for a place at a denominational school, (b) have a sibling in that school, (c) are new to the area and (d) are in any other category. [127487]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisThe Department does not hold this information. The admissions framework we have established aims to ensure that local admission arrangements accommodate parental preference wherever possible, but there have always been cases where this cannot be met. Our infant class size initiative, which is being pursued in such a way that popular schools are able to expand, enables more parents to obtain a place for their 337W child at their preferred school. A net gain of 12,000 places at popular schools is being provided as a result of the policy.
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 Trafford LEA amount to some £2 million. This has helped to reduce the size of the average Key Stage 1 class in the Altrincham and Sale, West parliamentary constituency to 25.9. The figure in January 1997 was 29.6.