HC Deb 19 September 2002 vol 390 cc118-9W
Mr. Davidson

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent evidence she has evaluated on the improvements in educational results to be realised through(a) marginal reductions in average class sizes and (b) alternative, more flexible uses of the same scale of resources within the educational system; and if she will make a statement. [72988]

Mr. Miliband

It is too early to evaluate fully the impact of smaller class sizes policy on educational achievement. However, there is evidence, some of which pre-dates the smaller class size policy, that smaller class sizes have a beneficial effect on pupil progress, particularly in maths and literacy, in Reception children. I am exploring how schools might make better use of all their resources—teachers, support staff and ICT through the Transforming School Workforce pathfinder project. The Department has commissioned a pilot survey to examine the feasibility of collecting the detailed school resourcing information needed to evaluate the impact of resource mix on performance.

Virginia Bottomley

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average class size is, ranked according to local education authority, at the latest date for which figures are available. [72398]

Mr. Miliband

The information requested is shown in the table, copies of which have been placed in the Library.

Tom Cox

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many children were excluded from school in each of the London borough education authorities as of 1 June. (65048)

Stephen Twigg

The available information on permanent exclusions for the latest year for which data are available is shown in the following table. Information on Fixed Term Exclusions is not available centrally.

Number of Permanent Exclusions by Type of School, 1999–2000
Primary (1) Secondary (1) Special (2) Total
Number of Permanent Exclusions Percentage of the school population (3) Number of Permanent Exclusions Percentage of the school population (3) Number of Permanent Exclusions Percentage of the school population (3) Number of Permanent Exclusions Percentage of the school population (3)
Hounslow 0.04 44 0.27 1 0.25 52 0.14
Kingston upon Thames 0.01 15 0.18 0 0.00 16 0.08
Merton 0.04 16 0.21 0.41 23 0.10
Redbridge 0.02 23 0.12 2 0.44 29 0.07
Richmond upon Thames 0.01 24 0.32 0 0.00 25 0.13
Sutton 0.00 19 0.14 0 0.00 19 0.07
Waltham Forest 1 0.05 39 0.30 3 0.43 53 0.15

(1) Includes middle schools as deemed

(2) Includes Maintained and Non Maintained Special Schools

(3) The number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number (headcount) of full time and part-time pupils of all ages in Primary. Secondary and Special schools, excluding dually registered pupils in special schools in January 2000.

Source:

Annual Schools' Census

Mr. Laws

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children aged five, six, and seven were in infant classes of over 30 on(a) 1 May 1997, (b) 31 December 1998, (c) September 2001, (d) 31 December 2001 and (e) the latest date for which information is available; and if she will make a statement. [69297]

Mr. Miliband

The available information collected from the Annual Schools Census in January of each year and from the September Class Size Count is shown in the table.

Key Stage 1 Classes taught by one teacher in Maintained Primary Schools (1)(2) England
Number of pupils in classes of 31 or more in:
Academic Year September (3)(4) January
1996–1997 476,822
1997–1998 485,311
1998–1999 354,000 356,586
1999–2000 171,000 176,962
2000–2001 30,000 35,813
2001–2002 8,000 10,398(p)

(1) Classes as taught during the one selected period in each school on the day of the census in January.

(2) Key Stage 1 classes of 31 or more may contain pupils who have been admitted as permitted exceptions.

(3) This figure includes estimates of pupils entering later in the Autumn term under staggered entry arrangements from schools which did not make a return.

(4) Class sizes as measured in September are not directly comparable with those in January. As any differences in the figures will reflect seasonal effects such as pupils entering in January. Not available. The September Class Size Count took place for the first time in 1998.

(p) Provisional

Source:

Annual Schools Census and September Class Size Count