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Written question asked by David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party) on Tuesday, 6 December 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 8 December 2005. It was answered by Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour) on Monday, 12 December 2005 on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office.

Class Sizes

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average class size was for (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in the (i) controlled and (ii) maintained sector in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years.
Answer

The average class size for primary schools in the controlled and maintained sectors in Northern Ireland was as follows:

Controlled sector Maintained sector
1995–96 24.0 24.1
l996–97 24.1 24.0
1997–98 23.8 23.8
1998–99 24.2 23.9
1999–2000 24.2 23.6
2000–01 24.0 23.4
2001–02 23.6 23.2
2002–03 23.5 23.1
2003–04 23.4 22.9
2004–05 23.2 22.8
Notes: 1. The average class size quoted refers to year 1 to year 7 pupils in composite and non-composite classes. 2. The figures for the controlled sector do not include controlled integrated schools.

The requested information in respect of secondary schools was not collected at the time, and any attempt to do so retrospectively would be problematic and could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
36505; 440 c1736W;440 c1736W
Session
2005-06
Subjects
Class sizes Northern Ireland Primary education
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk