Reducing class size should be priority for next government

Thirty-four per cent of teachers have nominated a reduction in class size as their absolute top priority for the next Parliament.

NEU members were recently asked to identify which policy change would be most critical for the next Government, in order to directly improve the quality of pupils’ education. “Reducing class size” came top, with 39% of secondary staff and 21% of primary staff choosing it above all other issues. This averages 34% of those polled.

According to government’s data 474 out of 533 England constituencies have seen an increase in average class size since 2010.

Almost a million pupils – 961,127 – are in classes of 31 or more, up from 747,531 in 2010. This is a 29% increase.

Commenting on the analysis, Dr Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said: “Pupils are experiencing the inevitable result of several Government policies which have conspired to put a squeeze on schools. The real-terms funding crisis has had catastrophic effects, including a direct impact on class size. Today’s analysis will ring true for every parent who has witnessed their school cutting teaching assistant posts, reducing subject choice, or organising fundraiser events and begging letters. This is sadly all too common and a growing issue.

“In addition, teacher recruitment continues to lag behind the rise in pupil numbers, especially in secondary, with not enough done to attract subject specialists to the profession. Government targets are missed year upon year. A continued depression in teacher pay combined with high levels of workload, means the Government has been vastly more effective at driving people out of teaching than in retaining them.

“Parents are no fools. They can see with their own eyes the impact of funding pressures on their children’s education, and the reduction in individual contact time that their child has with their teachers.

“Voters will scrutinise manifestos closely, and it would be foolish of any party to underrate the impact of education pledges, not to mention legacy, on the result. In this election the public knows that to value education, they must vote for education.”