England infant class size rises

Labour made an election pledge on class sizes

More infant children in England's schools are being taught in classes above the legal limit of 30.

Figures released by the government show the proportion of infant classes with more than 30 pupils is 1.7% - up from 1.5% in January last year.

And the number of five to seven-year-olds being taught in "unlawfully large classes" has more than doubled in two years, to more than 10,000.

The government says that overall since 1997 class sizes have fallen.

When Labour came to power in 1997, it pledged to keep infant class sizes to fewer than 30 children.

Then, it says, one third of children were taught in classes of more than 30. Now, only 2.1% of children are in such classes.

But this proportion has been growing in the past few years, up from 1.5% of pupils in 2005.

The average class size for infants (five to seven year olds) rose from 25.7 pupils in January 2008, to 26.2 pupils last January. It had been stable at 25.6 for the three years previous.

For junior children in primary schools (eight to 11-year-olds), the average class size has been falling in recent years.

In January, the average class size was 26.8, down from 27.0 last year and 27.3 in 2005.

'Real difference'

Liberal Democrat children, schools and families spokesman, David Laws, said: "The number of five to seven-year-olds in unacceptably large classes has rocketed over recent years.

"These huge classes make it difficult for teachers to give our youngest children the individual attention they need when they start school. With so many children in a single class, it can be difficult to maintain order and teach effectively.

"The situation risks being even worse next year given the shortage of school places in many parts of the country, particularly in London.

"We know that smaller infant classes can make a real difference and we need to be cutting them to private school levels of only 15."

In some instances, schools are allowed to have infant classes of more than pupils, where for example a parent has won an appeal over a place.

So the government also measures the number of children in classes which are "unlawfully large".

On this measure 0.7% of children are in such classes, up from 0.6% in 2006.

Unlawful

England's Schools Minister Jim Knight said: "Infant class sizes were a national disgrace in 1997 - and it was a scandal that almost a third of children were in oversized classes.

"We now have strong legal measures to ensure that almost all infant classes are below 30. The less than 1% that are unlawfully large must take immediate steps to comply with the law.

"All of the unlawfully large sized classes last year were brought within acceptable limits and I expect for prompt action to be taken again to ensure compliance."

The Conservatives say the figures underline concerns on school places expressed to them by some local authorities.

Schools spokesman Nick Gibb said: "The huge rise in unlawfully large class sizes underlines concern that there will not be enough primary provision to cover the likely number of children needing a place in September.

"It would be a tragedy if the government's short term policy of reducing surplus places led to children missing their first few weeks of school."

Pressure on school places is growing in some areas, particularly in some cities.

Local authorities have been asking the government for more money to expand provision.

Several London MPs recently raised the matter in the House of Commons and the body which represents London councils (London Councils) is lobbying the government to address the problem.

Research for the group suggests London faces reception place shortfalls of more than 18,300 in total by 2014. This financial year alone, the body says, more than 2,250 children will be without a reception place.

Pressure for places

London parent Liz Taylor, a GP, is pressing Camden Council over the shortage of spaces for reception children this September.

Her son was one of about 200 children not offered any of their choices for reception classes in Camden this year.

The council is meeting parents affected on Thursday evening, after parents, led by Dr Taylor, petitioned for a new community school in their area.

Dr Taylor said: "I applied to my three closest community schools and my closest Church of England school and have not been offered a place at any of these.

"In fact Camden have no school spaces to offer us. The furthest school I applied to was just 0.63 miles from my home."

She is hoping the council will come up with a short-term solution in the form of a bulge class or classes, plus a longer-term plan.

A spokeswoman for Camden said the problem was London-wide.

"Camden does have a number of children who have not yet been allocated a place at a primary school, although fewer children are affected than this time last year," she said.

"We have tried to offer alternative places in schools where there are vacancies and we will continue to work with parents to offer advice and support to help them secure a school place."

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version