Ministers are committed to reducing class sizes

The call came at the start of the EIS annual conference, as it emerged that Scotland has some of the biggest primary school classes in Europe.

As the conference opened in Dundee, delegates called for further cuts in class pupil numbers in both primary and secondary schools.

The union claims large class sizes hamper modern teaching methods.

Latest figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) indicate Scotland has the third largest primary classes in Europe.

World class

However, the development agency said there was no consistent link between class sizes and how well children perform.

Even new modern schools, are not designed to accommodate smaller class sizes George Haggarty Headteachers Association of Scotland,

Ministers have expressed a commitment to reducing numbers at key stages.

The EIS claims current class sizes make it too difficult to put the Scottish Executive's new policy of tailoring teaching to each child into practice.

EIS president Jack Barnett said he shared the executive's ambition to create a world class education system.

However, he told the conference: "Many classes in both primary schools and the early years of secondary schools in Scotland have up to a contractual maximum of 33 pupils.

"This creates a nigh impossible task for both Scottish teachers and Scottish school pupils in terms of meeting the educational outcomes expected of them."

Primary class sizes according to OECD and Eurydice England 26.2 Ireland 24.2 Scotland 23.9 Greece 17.2

From next year, numbers will be capped at 20 in early secondary in the key subjects of maths and English. No five-year-old starting school will be in a class of more than 25.

School rolls are also falling and ministers said they are on track to deliver 53,000 teachers by next year.

George Haggarty, president of the Headteachers Association of Scotland, said there were some major constraints on cutting class sizes, including teacher availability and budget levels.