Almost a million children in class sizes of 31 or more pupils

The constituencies with average primary classes of 28.8 or more pupils include – Christchurch, Eastbourne, Chelmsford, Dartford, Sutton and Cheam, Maidstone and The Weald.

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According to the analysis of class sizes in England between 2010 and 2019, there are now 63,566 pupils in classes of 36 or more pupils, up from 44,093 in 2010 – a 44 per cent rise.

The 263 constituencies with 100 or more pupils in classes of 36 or more include - Bermondsey and Old Southwark, Bolton north, Thurrock and Sheffield.

The analysis also finds:

• 474 out of 522 England constituencies have seen an increase in average class size since 2010.
• Average class size has fallen, often only slightly, in just 59 constituencies between 2010 and this year.

A poll of 610 teachers by the NEU last weekend found that one-in-three (34 per cent) want reducing class sizes to be made a top priority for the next Parliament, regardless of which party wins the election next month.

Comments

Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said, ‘Pupils are experiencing the inevitable result of several Government policies which have conspired to put a squeeze on schools. The real-terms funding crisis has had catastrophic effects, including a direct impact on class size. Today’s analysis will ring true for every parent who has witnessed their school cutting teaching assistant posts, reducing subject choice, or organising fundraiser events and begging letters. This is sadly all too common and a growing issue.

‘In addition, teacher recruitment continues to lag behind the rise in pupil numbers. Government targets are missed year upon year. A continued depression in teacher pay combined with high levels of workload, means the Government has been vastly more effective at driving people out of teaching than in retaining them.

‘Parents are no fools. They can see with their own eyes the impact of funding pressures on their children’s education, and the reduction in individual contact time that their child has with their teachers.

‘Voters will scrutinise manifestos closely, and it would be foolish of any party to underrate the impact of education pledges, not to mention legacy, on the result.’

The Department for Education has previously said that average class sizes have remained stable despite more children in the education system than ever before.

Also, that it is ‘on track’ to create 1 million additional school places this decade and is investing over £14 billion more in schools over the next three years to 2022-23.