§ Paddy AshdownTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many(a) primary school and (b) secondary school pupils were in classes of 30 or more in (i) Somerset and (ii) Yeovil constituency in each of the years 1994–95 to 2000–01. [144604]
§ Ms Estelle Morris[holding answer 18 January 2001]: The available information for Somerset local education authority area and the parliamentary constituency of Yeovil on class sizes collected in January is shown in the following table. Information on class sizes by parliamentary constituency is not available prior to 1997.
573WProvisional estimates for the year 2000–01 are expected to be published later this year.
We have secured early delivery of our infant class size pledge in Yeovil. The most recent figures show that in September 2000 there were no infant classes in the constituency with more than 30 pupils.
The size of the average secondary class nationally, at 22, is still five below the average primary class. Secondary headteachers are receiving up to £ 50,000 in direct grant to spend as they choose. If this were spent on recruiting teachers, the average secondary class size could be reduced by up to 0.8.
Number of pupils in maintained primary and secondary schools in classes of size 30 or more taught by one teacher: 1995 to 2000 Primary Secondary January Number pupils in classes of of 30 or more Number of KS1 pupils in classes of 30 or more Number of pupils in classes of 30 or more Somerset local education authority 2000 16,579 4,209 37,313 1999 19,092 6,036 38,294 1998 18,818 6,537 37,549 1997 17,786 6,507 37,256 1996 17,039 5,649 36,587 1995 13,866 1— 35,800 Yeovil constituency 2000 3,357 881 7,331 1999 3,709 1,417 7,455 1998 3,399 1,378 7,467 1997 2,919 1,350 7,409 1996 1— 1— 1— 1995 1— 1— 1— 1 Not available
Infant classes taught by one teacher by size September Less than 30 30 31+ Total Somerset 2000 12,919 2,610 443 15,972 1999 11,998 3,000 1,545 16,543 Yeovil 2000 2,522 720 0 3,242 1999 2,220 720 1,003 3,943