Education Minister Jane Davidson: Ambitious target

Over the past four years, more than 500 extra teachers have been recruited in Wales and money has also been spent on new classrooms.

Now the attention has turned to older children.

Currently more than a fifth of junior school classes in Wales have more than 30 pupils.

But by September that number should reduce by 15%.

Labour wants all under 11's to be taught in classes of fewer than 30 by the year 2003.

The assembly will be asked on Tuesday to approve an extra �25 million for the coming year to meet what the administration admits are ambitious targets.

New classrooms

A further �32 million is being earmarked for 2003.

As well as more money for hundreds of more teachers, local education authorities will also have money towards helping pupils with the transition between junior and secondary school.

The cash can also be used for building new classrooms.

The drive on class sizes was one of the major planks of Labour's election pledges in 1997.

In September 2001, figures showed a record numbers of under-sevens in Wales were being taught in classes of less than 30.

Welsh Education Minister Jane Davidson said the government's pledge to reduce infant classes to a maximum of 30 pupils had been virtually achieved.