Rules on infant class sizes ‘should be axed’

Figures published last year showed almost 20,000 youngsters are now being
educated in “supersized” primaries of at least 800 pupils – a rise of 43 per
cent in just 12 months.

Niall Bolger, Sutton chief executive, said the council had already been forced
to spend £7m to create additional classes for pupils starting school in
September 2012 and feared further investment would be needed in coming
years.

“All London Boroughs are facing unprecedented demand for additional primary
school places,” the letter said.

“Sutton has been expanding primary schools for a number of years and so all
easy options to meet demand has been exhausted.”

He added: “We do not wish to eliminate all parameters for class size, but we
consider 32 to be a pragmatic compromise between educational viability and
financial prudency.”

Regulations introduced by Labour when it came to power in the 90s ban schools
from placing children in classes of 30 or more. Large lessons are only
permitted in exceptional circumstances and such arrangements are supposed to
be temporary.

According to official estimates, some 550,000 extra primary school pupils will
enter the system by 2018. It equates to an additional 2,000 primary schools.

But any attempt to increase class sizes is likely to be strongly resisted by
the Coalition amid concerns it prove hugely unpopular with parents. It is
already investing £4bn in areas with the tightest squeeze on places.

A DfE spokesman said: “The law remains clear that it is illegal for infant
classes to exceed 30 pupils – no parent would want their child taught in a
huge class.

“We’re dealing with the impact of soaring birth rates on primary schools –
doubling targeted investment at areas facing the greatest pressure on
numbers to over £4billion in the next four years.

“We are building free schools in areas where there are place shortages and
letting good schools to expand without limits to meet demand from parents.”

Councillor Peter Walker, Merton Council’s cabinet member for education,
condemned any attempt to increase classes.

“I strongly urge those with responsibility for education in London to oppose
this regrettable initiative,” he said.

“Increasing class sizes in our schools at this time is short sighted, will
threaten school standards, is unfair to our children and will endanger our
economic prospects.”