HC Deb 15 March 2000 vol 346 cc217-9W
Mr. Ashdown

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his estimate of the average class sizes for(a) five, (b) six, (c) seven, (d) eight, (e) nine, (f) 10, (g) 11, (h) 12, (i) 13, (j) 14, (k) 15, (l) 16 and (m) 17 year olds for schools within the Yeovil constituency for (i) 1995–96, (ii) 1996–97, (iii) 1997–98, (iv) 1998–99 and (v) 1999–2000; and if he will make a statement. [114181]

Ms Estelle Morris

[holding answer 14 March 2000]: The available information on average class sizes collected in January for the Parliamentary constituency of Yeovil is shown in the tables. The class size count for January 2000 is currently being undertaken and provisional national estimates are expected to be published in April.

The Government are well on course to deliver their pledge to limit infant classes for five, six and seven year-olds to 30 or below by September 2001. In Yeovil Parliamentary constituency, the latest infant class size count carried out in September 1999 showed the average size of class to be 26.1 pupils per class.

Average size of classes taught by one teacher by age band in maintained secondary schools in the Parliamentary constituency of Yeovil: 1996–99
Ages 1
Position as at January Middle classes Mainly under 14s Mainly 14 and 15 16 or older Overall
1996
Average class size 29.3 25.4 23.2 9.98 23.9
Pupils 820 2,739 2,109 179
Classes 28 108 91 18
1 Ages as the start of the academic year (August 31)