Class Sizes

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average pupil/teacher ratio was in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in (i) Cornwall, (ii) the South West and (iii) England in each year since 2001. (186506)

The available figures are given in the following table:

*Pupil: teacher ratios at primary and secondary schools in Cornwall local authority (LA), the south-west Government office region (GOR) and England, 2001-07*
	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
Primary
Cornwall LA	22.9	22.3	22.4	22.6	22.6	22.1	22.1
South-west GOR	23.0	22.4	22.4	22.6	22.5	21.8	21.6
England	22.9	22.5	22.6	22.7	22.5	22.0	21.8

Secondary
Cornwall LA	18.0	17.8	17.6	17.6	17.5	16.9	16.7
South-west GOR	17.5	17.3	17.2	17.3	16.9	16.7	16.6
England	17.1	16.9	17.0	17.0	16.7	16.6	16.5
Source: Schools Census

Information on pupil:teacher ratios in each local authority are published annually by the Department. From 2005 the figures can be found in the Statistical First Release ‘School Workforce in England', the latest of which can be accessed at:

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000743/index.shtml

Figures for 2004 and earlier were published in the Statistical Volume ‘Statistics of Education Schools in England'. The 2004 edition can be accessed at:

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/VOL/v000495/index.shtml

Equivalent publications are available for earlier years.

Volume 472: debated on Wednesday 20 February 2008