HC Deb 23 November 2000 vol 357 cc299-300W
19. Mr. Robathan

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress has been made in reducing infant class sizes for five, six and seven-year-olds in Leicestershire.[138380]

Ms Estelle Morris

For the huge majority of infants our pledge to limit infant classes to 30 has been delivered early. In January 1998, 485,000 were in classes over 30. This September there were as few as 30,000. Leicestershire has made steady progress towards meeting the pledge. In September, over 94 per cent. of Leicestershire's five, six and seven-year-olds were in infant classes of 30 or below, compared with 89 per cent. in September 1999. The figure in January 1998 was 78 per cent.

Mr. David Heath

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proposals he has to reduce class sizes in middle and secondary schools. [138367]

Ms Estelle Morris

We are delivering our pledge to reduce infant class sizes—only 2 per cent. of infants are now in classes with more than 30 pupils. The average size of primary and middle schools classes has fallen in the last two years. Secondary classes have, on average, five fewer pupils than primary classes.