- · Labour analysis of
House of Commons research has found that the number of children
at key stage one in classes over 30 has increased by 91 per cent
since 2011.
- · In England in 2011
there were 43,130 children in classes over 30 but this had
increased to 82,358 in 2018.
- · This represents
4.9 per cent of all pupils, compared to 2.9 per cent in 2011.
- · The analysis also
found that every region except London has seen an increase in the
number of KS1 children in classes over 30.
- · The West Midlands
has seen a 211 per cent increase, from 3,982 in 2011 to 12,400 in
2018.
- · 30 pupils to one
teacher is the legal limit (with some exceptions) for
infant classes.
- · At KS2, the number
of children has increased by 19%, from
318,515 in 2011 to 378,763 in 2018.
- · Labour has
committed to capping class sizes at 30 for all primary school
pupils.
Commenting on the figures, Shadow Education Secretary
said:
“These figures confirm the Tories’ failure to provide a high
quality education for all of our country’s children.
“This situation is totally unsustainable. If Ministers really
wanted to give every child the education they deserve, they
wouldn’t pack so many five, six and seven year olds into classes
of this size.
“Unlike the Tories, Labour would ensure that children aren’t
crammed into super-sized classrooms by capping sizes at 30 for
all primary school pupils.”
Notes to editors
- · Labour analysis of
House of Commons research found that the number of children at
key stage one in single teacher classes over 30 has increased by
91 per cent since 2011.
Labour analysis of House of Commons
research found that the number of children at key stage one in
single teacher classes over 30 has increased by 91 per cent since
2011.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2018
- · At KS2, the number
of children has increased by 18%, from
318,515 in 2011 to 378,763 in 2018.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2018
- · According to
research undertaken by the School Cuts Coalition, 62% of
state secondary schools had larger classes last year than two
years before.
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/mar/08/school-class-sizes-in-england-rising-due-to-funding-cuts
- · 30 pupils to one
teacher is the legal limit (with some exceptions) for
infant classes.
“4.—(1) No infant class may contain more than 30 pupils while an
ordinary teaching session is conducted by a single school
teacher.”
http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/13528/1/9780111518946.pdf
- · Research
undertaken by the IFS found that between 2009-10 and 2017-18
total school spending per pupil in England fell by about 8% in
real terms.
https://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/13143
- · In their 2017
Manifesto, the Conservatives promised that they would “make sure
that no school has its budget cut as a result of the new
formula.”
“…While we will make funding fairer over the course of
the parliament, we will make sure that no school has its budget
cut as a result of the new formula”
Conservative Party 2017 General Election manifesto,
p.51, https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/conservative-party-manifestos/Forward+Together+-+Our+Plan+for+a+Stronger+Britain+and+a+More+Prosperous....pdf
- · But as a result of
their new funding formula, a local authority can provide a
maximum cut of 1.5 per cent per pupil to a school (this is known
as the Minimum Funding Guarantee).
Fact Check, https://www.channel4.com/news/factcheck/factcheck-the-new-education-secretary-is-wrong-about-schools-funding
