Class Sizes

To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average class size of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in (i) Mid-Bedfordshire constituency and (ii) the East of England was in each year since 1997. (302915)

The requested information is shown in the table.

*Maintained primary*¹ *and state-funded secondary*^1,² *schools: Classes as taught*³*. As at January each year. In Mid-Bedfordshire constituency and East of England Government office region*
Average class size
	Mid-Bedfordshire	East of England
	Primary	Secondary	Primary	Secondary
1997	26.1	22.1	26.9	21.3
1998	25.7	22.4	27.2	21.2
1999	26.0	23.0	27.1	21.3
2000	25.7	23.2	26.8	21.7
2001	24.4	22.9	26.4	21.8
2002	24.1	22.3	26.1	21.6
2003	24.6	21.8	26.1	21.6
2004	23.9	22.1	26.2	21.7
2005	24.1	22.2	26.2	21.7
2006	24.7	21.0	26.2	21.5
2007	24.5	21.3	26.1	21.3
2008	23.9	21.3	26.1	21.1
2009	24.0	21.6	26.2	20.8
¹ Includes middle schools as deemed. ² Includes CTCs and academies. ³ One teacher classes as taught during a single selected period in each school on the day of the census. Source: School Census

Volume 501: debated on Wednesday 2 December 2009