HC Deb 13 March 2000 vol 346 cc64-5W
Sir Teddy Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many children in(a) secondary, (b) junior and (c) nursery schools are in classes of over 30; and what the totals were in each of the previous five years. [113888]

Ms Estelle Morris

The available information on class sizes in maintained primary and secondary schools in England for January and September is shown in the following table. The latest class size count was carried out in September 1999 for infant classes and found a further reduction in the numbers of infant pupils in classes of over 30. Information about classes in maintained nursery schools is not collected by the Department.

Provisional national estimates of class sizes in maintained primary and secondary schools in England for January 2000 are expected to be published in a Statistical First Release in April.

Numbers of pupils in classes with 31 or more pupils in maintained primary and secondary schools in England: 1995–1999
1 Teacher Primary schools1 2 or more teachers Total 1 Teacher Secondary schools1 2 or more teachers Total
Position as at January:
1999 1,277,250 119,249 1,396,499 312,974 36,114 349,088
1998 1,410,762 122,979 1,533,741 282,633 33,156 315,789
1997 1,344,231 121,559 1,465,790 245,420 38,749 284,169
1996 1,260,551 128,581 1,389,132 234,536 48,640 283,176
1995 1,155,715 129,885 1,285,600 201,210 57,435 258,645
1 Includes middle schools
Numbers of pupils in infant classes with 31 or more pupils in maintained primary schools in England: 1998–99
Number
Position as at September
1999 165,557
1998 346,288

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