§ Mr. StevensonTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children were in classes of 31 or more in(a) infant and (b) primary schools in Stoke-on-Trent in each year since 1996–97. [119156]
§ Mr. Stephen TwiggThe information requested is shown in the table.
Maintained primary schools: Stoke-on-Trent local education authority Number of pupils in classes of 31 or more taught by one teacher January Key stage 1 Total primary 19971 11,254 31,492 19982 2,525 7,465 19992 2,224 6,689 20002 750 4,909 20012 162 4,037 20022 62 2,648 20032,3,4 282 2,284 1 Before local government reorganisation. Prior to 1998 Stoke-on-Trent was included with Staffordshire. 2 After local government reorganisation. Figures from 1998 onwards are not directly comparable to those for 1997. 3 The Key stage 1 total relates to 9 classes and each of these classes contained children who were exceptions permitted by legislation. These permitted exceptions resulted in a class of more than 30. 4 Provisional. Final figures will be published in September 2003. Source:
Annual Schools' Census
§ Gregory BarkerTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent representations he has received regarding school class sizes.[120775]
§ Mr. Stephen TwiggThere have been no recent substantial representations made to this Department regarding school class sizes, although during the last quarter, we received 18 letters, mainly from parents, relating to various class size issues.