§ Mr. SteinbergTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many classes in UK primary schools excluding years one, two and three have more than 30 children in them. [157828]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisThe number of key stage 2 classes in England, taught by one teacher, with 31 or more pupils, was 22,817 (29.5 per cent.), in January 2001. The equivalent figure for January 1998 was 25,295 (34.3 per cent.). For information for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, I refer my hon. Friend to the Welsh Assembly, the Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly respectively.
109WNationally, average class sizes for primary children have fallen under this Government. At Key Stage 1 the figure has gone down from 27.1 in January 1998 to 25.2 in January 2001. At Key Stage 2 the figure has gone down from 28.3 in January 1998 to 27.9 in 2001. This is a reflection of the fact that delivery of our infant class size pledge is not being achieved at the expense of bigger junior classes. We are making £73 million available in 2001–02 to make further progress on class sizes at Key Stage 2.
§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the average class size was in(a) primary and (b) secondary schools in (i) March 1997 and (ii) March 2001 in North Yorkshire. [157868]
§ Ms Estelle Morris[holding answer 10 April 2001]: The available information is shown in the table.
Average class size1 in maintained primary and secondary schools in North Yorkshire LEA Primary Secondary January 20012 25.3 21.1 January 1997 26.3 20.6 1 Classes taught by one teacher. 2 Provisional. Information on class sizes as at January 2001 has been published in a Statistical First Release "Class Sizes in Maintained Schools in England January 2001" on 6 April, copies of which are available from the Library, or alternatively can be accessed from the Department for Education and Employment statistical website www.dfee.gov.uk/statistics.
Nationally, average class sizes for primary schools has fallen significantly since 1997. At Key Stage 1 the figure has gone down from 26.9 in 1997 to 25.2 in 2001. At Key Stage 2 the figure has gone down from 28.1 in 1997 to 27.9 in 2001. This is a reflection of the fact that delivery of our infant class size pledge is not being achieved at the expense of bigger junior classes. More generally at secondary level, the 2001 figures show that class sizes nationally have stabilised after a decade of rises. As for the pupil/teacher ratio in secondary schools, the number of pupils in secondary schools rose between 1991 and 1997 and between 1997 and 2001 by just under 190,000 nationally in both sets of years—yet the increase in the pupil/teacher ratio nationally in secondary schools was three times greater between 1991 and 1997 than it was between 1997 and 2001. Indeed, the 2001 figures show that the secondary pupil/teacher ratio has in fact improved for the first time in 10 years and now stands at 17.1.
§ Mr. RuffleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the average class size was in the Bury St. Edmunds constituency for (i) middle schools and (ii) upper schools in(a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000; and what is it at present. [157975]
§ Ms Estelle Morris[holding answer 10 April 2001]: The information requested is shown in the following table. 110W
Average class sizes1 in Bury St. Edmunds constituency Middle deemed Secondary schools Maintained secondary schools2 Key Stage 1 January 20013 25.2 19.1 23.4 January 2000 22.9 19.9 24.0 January 1999 23.1 18.7 24.9 January 1998 23.1 18.7 24.0 January 1997 22.7 18.9 24.7 1 Classes taught by one teacher. 2 Excluding middle deemed secondary schools. 3 Provisional. Average class sizes for primary children in Bury St. Edmunds have fallen significantly since 1997. At Key Stage 1 the figure has gone down from 24.7 in 1997 to 23.4 in 2001. At Key Stage 2 the figure has gone down from 26.7 in 1997 to 25.8 in 2001. This is a reflection of the fact that delivery of our infant class size pledge is not being achieved at the expense of bigger junior classes. More generally at secondary level, the 2001 figures show that class sizes nationally have stabilised after a decade of rises. As for the pupil/teacher ratio in secondary schools, the number of pupils in secondary schools rose between 1991 and 1997 and between 1997 and 2001 by just under 190,000 nationally in both sets of years—yet the increase in the pupil/teacher ratio nationally in secondary schools was three times greater between 1991 and 1997 than it was between 1997 and 2001. Indeed, the 2001 figures show that the secondary pupil/teacher ratio has in fact improved for the first time in 10 years and now stands at 17.1.
§ Mr. RuffleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the average class size was in Suffolk local education authority for (i) middle schools and (ii) upper schools in(a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000; and what is it at present. [157976]
§ Ms Estelle Morris[holding answer 10 April 2001]: The information requested is shown in the table.
Average class sizes1 in Suffolk LEA Middle deemed schools Maintained secondary schools2 Key Stage 1 January 20013 24.2 20.2 23.7 January 2000 23.8 19.9 24.3 January 1999 23.6 19.6 24.1 January 1998 23.7 19.7 24.1 January 1997 23.3 20.1 24.3 1 Classes taught by one teacher 2 Excluding middle deemed secondary schools 3 Provisional Average class sizes for primary children in Suffolk LEA have fallen since this Government came to power. In addition to smaller Key Stage 1 classes, the size of the average Key Stage 2 class has gone down from 26.3 in January 1998 to 26.2 in January 2001. More generally at secondary level, the 2001 figures show that class sizes nationally have stabilised after a decade of rises. As for the pupil/teacher ratio in secondary schools, the number of pupils in secondary schools rose between 1991 and 1997 and between 1997 and 2001 by just under 190,000 nationally in both sets of years—yet the increase in the pupil/teacher ratio nationally in secondary schools was three times greater between 1991 and 1997 than it was 111W between 1997 and 2001. Indeed, the 2001 figures show that the secondary pupil/teacher ratio has in fact improved for the first time in 10 years and now stands at 17.1.
§ Mr. TyrieTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what has been the change to average class sizes in sixth forms in(a) West Sussex and (b) Chichester constituency since May 1997. [158593]
§ Ms Estelle MorrisIn West Sussex local education authority the size of the average sixth-form class has fallen from 11 in January 1997 to 9.7 in January 2001. The corresponding fall in Chichester is from 11.1 to 10.5.
At secondary level, the 2001 figures show that class sizes nationally have stabilised after a decade of rises. As for the pupil/teacher ratio in secondary schools, the number of pupils in secondary schools rose between 1991 and 1997 and between 1997 and 2001 by just under 190,000 nationally in both sets of years—yet the increase in the pupil/teacher ratio nationally in secondary schools was three times greater between 1991 and 1997 than it was between 1997 and 2001. Indeed, the 2001 figures show that the secondary pupil/teacher ratio has in fact improved for the first time in 10 years and now stands at 17.1.