| |
Home
News Centre
Popular
Questions
Publications
FoI
Publications Scheme
Research
Consultations
Our
Strategy
Speeches
Statistics
Inside
the Department
Cymraeg/Welsh
Links
Contact Us
Help
User guide
|
|
SMALLER SIZES REMAIN THE RULE FOR INFANTS - CLARKE.
20 November 2002
Nearly every five to seven year old continues to be taught in classes of 30 or fewer according to new figures published today.
Secretary of State for Education and Skills Charles Clarke welcomed today’s figures on class sizes which reveal that over 99% of infant children continue to be taught in classes with 30 or fewer pupils. The number of infants in classes of more than 30 has fallen from 354,000 in September 1998 to 10,576 in September 2002 – from 22 per cent to less than one per cent. The figures show a slight rise in the number of children in infant classes over 30 since last year, from 0.5 to 0.7 per cent. This is because 288 classes have reported circumstances which are permitted to exceed the limit on class sizes for some activities such as games and drama and for reasons such as children moving into an area outside the normal admission round. Only 19 classes, affecting 0.04% of five to seven year olds, across the country do not meet the legal limit on class sizes. Mr Clarke said:“Since 1998, we have massively reduced the number of infants in classes of more than 30. This year, we have sustained this policy: nearly every five to seven year old is still being taught in smaller classes. Reducing class sizes has played an important part of our strategy to raise standards.“Our infants are benefiting from both smaller classes and from an increase in the number of adults per pupil within the classroom. We will continue to concentrate on recruiting more highly skilled teachers supported by an increased number of teaching assistants to give pupils more individual attention and the best possible start in their education.“ The increase in the number of adults per pupil follows the Government’s strategy to increase the number of teaching assistants within the classroom. The average number of pupils per adult in infant classes has fallen from 15.2 in September 2000 to 13.7 in 2002. The September count of class sizes was introduced in 1998 to monitor the reduction of infant classes following the Government’s pledge to reduce them. The September count will now be discontinued but infant class sizes will be monitored through the information collected and published in the Annual Schools Census every January.
Editor's Notes
This press notice relates to England
1. Charles Clarke was commenting on figures contained in the Statistical First Release (28/2002) Infant Class Sizes in England: September 2002. The SFR is available on the DfES website at http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/statistics/DB/SFR/s0363/index.html 2. The Government set a target that by 2002 infant class sizes would be reduced so that five, six or seven year olds would not be in classes of more than 30 pupils. The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 required all infant classes to meet the limit from the start of the 2001-02 school year.3. The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 imposes the limit in respect of ordinary teaching sessions conducted by a qualified teacher. An ordinary teaching session does not include school assembly or a school activity such as games, music or drama which can be conducted with large groups of pupils. 4. The Education (Infant Class Sizes) (England) Regulations 1998 allow the limit of 30 children per infant class to be exceeded in limited circumstances. This allows certain children to be treated as “excepted pupils” for the purposes of ascertaining whether or not the class size limit has been exceeded. “Excepted pupils” are children who:(a) Cannot gain a place at any other suitable school within a reasonable distance of their home because they move into the area outside of the normal admission round;(b) Are initially refused admission but who are subsequently offered a place outside a normal admission round on the direction of an admission appeal panel; or because the person making the original decision recognises that an error has been made in implementing the school’s admissions arrangements; (c) Have statements of special educational need which specify that they should be educated at the school concerned, and who are admitted outside a normal admission round; (d) Children who are registered pupils at special schools, or who have special educational needs and are normally educated in a special unit attached to a mainstream school receive part of their education in a mainstream or non-special school.5. Pupils in categories (a) to (c) are excepted for the rest of the school year in which they are admitted. Children in the category (d) are treated as excepted pupils only when they are in an infant class at the mainstream school or outside the special unit.6. Since 1998-99 the Government has made £775 million available to implement the infant class size limit. Revenue funding was required for additional teachers and capital funding for additional classrooms. 7. Funding to continue the investment in teaching assistants (both in primary and secondary schools) was announced on 19 March 2001 (PN2001/0145).Contact Details
Public Enquiries 0870 000 2288, info@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
Press Notice 2002/0219
|
|
|
|
