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Dept for Education and Employment

Answer

Mr. Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the average class size in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in the North Somerset local education authority in each year since 1979. [142947] Ms Estelle Morris: Information on class sizes in the North Somerset local education authority prior to 1997 is not available, due to the fact that this particular authority was formed as part of the local government reorganisation of 1 April 1996. The available information is shown in the following table. Average class sizes{ 1} in maintained primary and secondary schools in North Somerset LEA{ 2} _________________________________________________________________________________________________. January each year Maintained primary Maintained secondary 2000 28.3 22.2 1999 28.5 21.7 1998 28.4 21.7 1997 27.8 20.4 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} Classes taught by one teachers {2} North Somerset LEA was formed in April 1996 as part of the local government re-organisation January 2000 saw a fall in the size of the average junior class in England; and a continuing fall in the size of the average primary class, after rising for a decade. The size of the average secondary class nationally, at 22, is still five below the average primary class. Secondary headteachers are receiving an average of £50,000 this year in direct grant to spend as they choose. If this were spent on recruiting teachers, the average secondary class size could be reduced by up to 0.8.We have secured early delivery of our infant class size pledge for the vast majority of infants, including in the North Somerset local education authority. In the authority in September this year, over 97 per cent. of infants were in classes of 30 or fewer pupils.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

360 c397W; 142947

Session

2000-01

Subjects

Class sizes Primary education Secondary education Somerset

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk