This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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McConnell Welcomes Reduction in Class Sizes
25/06/2001
Education Minister Jack McConnell today welcomed the results of the 2000 School Census that showed a reduction in primary 1, 2 and 3 class sizes.
Mr McConnell said:
"The latest figures show that good progress has been made in reducing class sizes in Primary 1, 2 and 3 to thirty or less.
"The early years of a pupil's education are crucial and it is important that they get the best start they can. The reduction in class sizes when combined with our other initiatives such as the Early Intervention Programme mean that we are giving our children the start they need and deserve.
"At the time of the school census in 2000 the target of reducing class sizes to 30 or less only applied to Primary 1 and 2. The results show that only 1% of classes in P1 and 1.5% in P2 were over 30 without an additional teacher being present.
"This is good news for pupils and for parents. There will always be some practical exceptions to these targets, for example while building works are being completed. However, this is a small number and it will reduce even further when authorities complete the necessary school extensions.
"The school census results from September 2000 show that we were well on the way to meeting our commitment even with a year still to go."
BACKGROUND
The school census data which has just been published relate to September 2000. At that date the class size reduction target of 30 pupils or less applied only to P1 and P2. It will be extended to P3 from August 2001.
The school census shows that 52 classes (2.5%) in P1 had over 30 pupils. Of that number 30 had 2 teachers. In 1999 4.4% of P1 classes were over 30 with 3.1% having 2 teachers. In P2 in 2000 3.87% of classes were over 30 with 2.34% having 2 teachers. In P3 16.0% of classes were over 30 and 1.1% had 2 teachers.
The regulations implementing a class size maximum of 30 in P1 to P3 allow classes over 30 where there are 2 teachers. They also allow certain excepted pupils to be excluded from the count. Excepted pupils are:
a. children whose record of special educational needs specify that they should be educated at the school concerned, and who are placed in a school outside a normal placing round;
b. children initially refused a place at a school, but subsequently on appeal offered a place outside a normal placing round or because the education authority recognise that an error was made in implementing their placing arrangements for the school;
c. children who cannot gain a place at any other suitable school within a reasonable distance of their home because they move into an area outside a normal placing round;
d. children who are pupils at special schools, but who receive part of their education at a mainstream school; and
e. children with special educational needs who are normally educated in a special unit in a mainstream school, but who receive part of their education in a non-special class.
Children in categories a to c will be treated as "excepted pupils" only during the school year in which they are first placed in a school.
Exemptions had also been given to 19 schools because building works could not be completed in time.
News Release: SE1531/2001
25 Jun 2001