Written question asked by Lord Tyrie (Conservative) on Tuesday, 10 April 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 23 April 2001. It was answered by Baroness Morris of Yardley (Labour) on Monday, 23 April 2001 on behalf of the Department for Education and Employment.

Dept for Education and Employment

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what has been the change to average class sizes in sixth forms in (a) West Sussex and (b) Chichester constituency since May 1997. - Inc figures.

Answer: Mr. Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what has been the change to average class sizes in sixth forms in (a) West Sussex and (b) Chichester constituency since May 1997. [158593] Ms Estelle Morris: In West Sussex local education authority the size of the average sixth form class has fallen from 11 in January 1997 to 9.7 in January 2001. The corresponding fall in Chichester is from 11.1 to 10.5. At secondary level, the 2001 figures show that class sizes nationally have stabilised after a decade of rises. As for the pupil/teacher ratio in secondary schools, the number of pupils in secondary schools rose between 1991 and 1997 and between 1997 and 2001 by just under 190,000 nationally in both sets of years--yet the increase in the pupil/teacher ratio nationally in secondary schools was three times greater between 1991 and 1997 than it was between 1997 and 2001. Indeed, the 2001 figures show that the secondary pupil/teacher ratio has in fact improved for the first time in 10 years and now stands at 17.1.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 158593; 367 c111W
Session: 2000-01
Subjects: Class sizes Pupils Schools Secondary education Sixth form education West Sussex Chichester
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk