Primary Education: Class Sizes

Michael Gove

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils were being taught in primary schools with over 800 pupils in (a) 1997 and (b) 2008. (232419)

The requested information is given in the table.

*Maintained primary schools*¹*: Number (headcount) of pupils in primary schools with more than 800 pupils*²*—position in January each year 1997 and 2008—England*
	1997	2008
Number of pupils in primary schools	4,429,040	4,087,790
Number of primary schools	18,392	17,205
Number of primary schools with more than 800 pupils	11	18
Percentage of primary schools with more than 800 pupils	0.1	0.1
Number of pupils in primary schools with more than 800 pupils	9,270	15,760
Percentage of pupils in primary schools with more than 800 pupils	0.2	0.4
¹ Includes middle schools as deemed. ² Excludes dually registered pupils. Note: Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. Source: School Census

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families for what activities infant schools may form classes of over 30 pupils; and if he will make a statement. (233162)

Legislation limits the size of an infant class during an 'ordinary teaching session' to 30 pupils per school teacher. Section 4 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 states that an 'ordinary teaching session' does not include a school assembly or other school activity usually conducted with large groups of pupils. We do not prescribe every type of activity that would not be classed as an ordinary teaching session, but guidance to schools and local authorities provides the following examples: PE/games, music, singing, drama, watching television and listening to the radio.

Volume 482: debated on Tuesday 4 November 2008