Nursery World - 'Children crammed into classrooms like sardines,' says Labour

Labour has accused the Tories of breaking their promise on small class sizes, as new research suggests that more than half a million children are in 'super-size' primary classes.

According to analysis of Department for Education (DfE) figures on schools, pupils and their characteristics by the Labour party, some 40,000 primary children are in classes with more than 36 pupils and over 16,000 are in class sizes of at least 40.

The South East of England is reportedly 'worst hit', with more than 90,000 primary school pupils in classes over 30.

The findings, which Labour says indicate that the Conservatives have broken their promise on 'small schools with small class sizes', also show the number of 'titan' primary schools (schools with over 800 pupils) has increased almost seven-fold since 2010.

Highlighted by the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in a speech in the Conservative constituency of Cardiff North today, the analysis reveals that the pressure on school places is now starting to affect secondary schools, with an increase in the number of pupils in 'very large classes' in the last year.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included