Chris Grayling:
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his Department’s policy is on allowing children born in August to delay starting school until after they have reached the age of five. [253701]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry:
The latest a child can start primary school is at the beginning of the term immediately following their fifth birthday. There are no plans to change this.
The remit for the Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum, asks Sir Jim Rose to consider whether it be appropriate to allow more choice and flexibility in start dates for children entering school. The final report and recommendations will be published this spring.
Mr. Laws:
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his policy is on the framework for the primary curriculum laid out in Sir Jim Rose’s interim report. [254182]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry:
We welcome the provisional findings of the Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum set out in the interim report. We look forward to receiving Sir Jim Rose’s final report and recommendations for consideration in the spring.
Mr. Laws:
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he expects the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to complete its work on progression statements and programmes of 9 Feb 2009 : Column 1718W
learning for the framework for the primary curriculum proposed in Sir Jim Rose's interim report. [254183]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry:
The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority are working to a timetable that will allow Sir Jim Rose to provide his final advice and recommendations, including programmes of learning, in the spring.
Mr. Laws:
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what consideration he plans to give in his response to the Rose Review to the final report from the Cambridge Primary Review. [254184]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry:
Sir Jim Rose is currently producing his final report of the Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum. As part of his review he is taking into account a wide range of evidence and research. Jim Rose has met with members of the Cambridge Primary Review.
Dr. Kumar:
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department is taking to ensure that primary school children are not put under too much pressure academically. [254903]
Sarah McCarthy-Fry:
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, has asked Sir Jim Rose to undertake a review of the primary curriculum. As part of his remit, Sir Jim will be reviewing the content of existing programmes of study and reducing prescription where possible. His interim report sets out proposals providing an entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum and a greater emphasis on children’s personal development.
We have set up an Expert Group on assessment who are examining the assessment system up to Key Stage 3. Part of their remit specifically states that they should state what advice schools should be given so that test preparation is proportionate, educationally appropriate, and that the delivery of a broad and balanced curriculum is not inhibited.
Primary Education: Class Sizes
Mr. Laws:
To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many five to seven-year-olds were educated in classes of at least (a) 25 and (b) 20 pupils in each local authority area in the latest year for which figures are available. [253177]
Jim Knight:
Class size data is not collected by age of child. However, the following table shows classes as taught by national curriculum year group.
Maintained primary schools( 1) : classes taught by one teacher by year group ( 2) , as at January 2008, England
Classes taught by one teacher
Classes of size 20 to 24 pupils
Classes of size 25 and over pupils
Year group 1
Year group 2
Year group 3
Year group 1
Year group 2
Year group 3
England
74,450
74,900
61,730
292,220
303,360
323,160
North East
5,350
5,240
4,110
10,680
11,750
13,090
841
Darlington
181
210
86
662
672
789
840
Durham
770
1,043
671
1,774
1,782
2,152
390
Gateshead
296
219
152
570
780
881
805
Hartlepool
301
112
255
280
439
410
9 Feb 2009 : Column 1719W
9 Feb 2009 : Column 1720W
806
Middlesbrough
416
456
371
577
637
763
391
Newcastle upon Tyne
357
426
317
1,418
1,371
1,625
392
North Tyneside
310
233
275
965
1,075
1,072
929
Northumberland
666
490
204
1,091
1,372
1,451
807
Redcar and Cleveland
311
352
389
521
663
517
393
South Tyneside
339
273
170
870
679
931
808
Stockton-on-Tees
632
606
488
783
842
940
394
Sunderland
769
818
731
1,167
1,435
1,562
North West
10,950
11,060
9,490
37,330
40,450
43,840
889
Blackburn with Darwen
220
226
184
1,179
1,212
1,303
890
Blackpool
159
138
20
1,138
1,129
1,343
350
Bolton
312
466
328
2,214
2,091
2,381
351
Bury
339
267
339
914
1,042
1,085
875
Cheshire
1,037
1,064
657
3,052
3,241
3,789
909
Cumbria
623
796
805
1,605
1,808
1,811
876
Halton
199
305
233
622
524
591
340
Knowsley
259
155
337
748
1,291
991
888
Lancashire
1,925
1,754
1,225
4,403
5,858
6,441
341
Liverpool
978
755
1,042
2,475
2,559
2,461
352
Manchester
645
528
878
2,978
2,933
2,749
353
Oldham
203
490
248
1,682
1,711
1,778
354
Rochdale
360
292
225
1,359
1,407
1,494
355
Salford
458
484
463
1,168
1,060
1,206
343
Sefton
619
422
448
1,345
1,609
1,827
342
St. Helens
331
357
314
1,042
1,049
1,431
356
Stockport
381
489
248
1,583
1,674
2,065
357
Tameside
331
318
363
1,470
1,600
1,604
358
Trafford
173
310
111
1,619
1,659
1,873
877
Warrington
331
494
329
1,243
1,095
1,333
359
Wigan
617
506
422
1,748
2,045
2,275
344
Wirral
447
441
268
1,740
1,851
2,005
Yorkshire and the Humber
8,130
8,970
6,520
28,090
28,300
30,900
370
Barnsley
518
335
373
665
1,296
1,098
380
Bradford
487
513
346
5,114
4,441
4,969
381
Calderdale
221
330
404
1,259
1,409
1,267
371
Doncaster
640
837
630
1,623
1,523
1,796
811
East Riding of Yorkshire
360
669
545
1,513
1,341
1,421
810
Kingston Upon Hull, City of
333
406
437
1,459
1,325
1,276
382
Kirklees
694
812
566
2,381
2,551
2,893
383
Leeds
1,340
1,149
850
3,970
4,182
4,379
812
North East Lincolnshire
156
279
154
705
637
754
813
North Lincolnshire
231
316
67
835
782
1,010
815
North Yorkshire
793
851
585
1,544
1,557
1,998
372
Rotherham
609
650
548
1,431
1,278
1,461
373
Sheffield
771
931
528
3,289
3,373
3,613
384
Wakefield
667
596
330
1,540
1,740
2,060
816
York
311
293
160
766
861
909
East Midlands
7,590
7,460
5,730
19,890
21,340
24,360
831
Derby
433
381
378
1,650
1,802
1,461
830
Derbyshire
1,419
1,361
1,065
3,018
3,673
4,306
856
Leicester
533
621
647
2,028
1,811
2,107
855
Leicestershire
1,246
1,212
578
2,393
2,676
3,157
925
Lincolnshire
955
1,055
553
2,398
2,838
3,342
928
Northamptonshire
1,170
919
947
3,735
3,819
4,129
892
Nottingham
504
498
448
1,414
1,402
1,726
891
Nottinghamshire
1,280
1,394
1,087
3,225
3,182
4,014
857
Rutland
45
21
23
30
141
117
9 Feb 2009 : Column 1721W
9 Feb 2009 : Column 1722W
West Midlands
9,540
8,810
7,000
32,060
34,380
36,690
330
Birmingham
1,393
1,326
1,539
9,362
9,611
9,722
331
Coventry
504
306
633
2,003
2,075
2,012
332
Dudley
882
918
561
1,665
1,799
2,251
884
Herefordshire
273
265
88
585
591
798
333
Sandwell
633
559
315
2,494
2,541
2,864
893
Shropshire
224
209
48
731
847
876
334
Solihull
600
393
326
1,307
1,619
1,809
860
Staffordshire
1,584
1,692
1,018
3,540
3,956
4,477
861
Stoke-on-Trent
361
474
317
1,450
1,303
1,824
894
Telford and Wrekin
153
139
161
654
847
912
335
Walsall
472
562
492
2,086
1,770
1,934
937
Warwickshire
722
670
608
2,588
3,032
2,821
336
Wolverhampton
643
592
457
1,310
1,463
1,290
885
Worcestershire
1,092
700
437
2,281
2,925
3,096
East of England
8,710
7,680
7,040
31,260
33,690
34,340
820
Bedfordshire
1,167
860
781
2,036
2,319
2,467
873
Cambridgeshire
663
490
386
2,940
3,316
3,176
881
Essex
2,145
2,023
1,370
7,115
7,826
8,551
919
Hertfordshire
1,176
981
1,214
7,549
8,091
7,378
821
Luton
113
224
391
2,224
1,976
1,783
926
Norfolk
1,399
1,221
1,155
2,791
3,633
3,875
874
Peterborough
197
220
158
1,417
1,464
1,540
882
Southend-on-Sea
198
220
88
1,275
1,133
1,275
935
Suffolk
1,362
1,209
1,258
2,772
2,896
3,010
883
Thurrock
289
229
242
1,136
1,032
1,289
London
8,220
8,470
8,090
60,420
58,060
59,340
Inner London
3,610
3,580
3,620
19,710
18,490
18,970
202
Camden
116
47
135
1,120
1,060
1,078
201
City of London
0
0
0
30
0
30
204
Hackney
330
277
381
1,267
1,492
1,325
205
Hammersmith and Fulham
48
43
89
892
1,004
779
309
Haringey
185
513
430
2,353
1,777
2,026
206
Islington
347
184
261
927
1,046
1,098
207
Kensington and Chelsea
112
96
113
571
447
514
208
Lambeth
299
361
287
1,933
1,590
1,820
209
Lewisham
324
536
287
1,935
1,522
1,860
316
Newham
457
265
322
2,686
2,719
2,926
210
Southwark
653
648
590
1,716
1,682
1,616
211
Tower Hamlets
250
246
240
1,996
1,782
1,745
212
Wandsworth
359
222
400
1,371
1,525
1,384
213
Westminster
130
137
88
914
841
768
Outer London
4,610
4,890
4,460
40,710
39,570
40,370
301
Barking and Dagenham
152
157
528
2,155
2,152
1,590
302
Barnet
246
248
197
2,631
2,428
2,601
303
Bexley
248
204
159
1,966
2,069
2,280
304
Brent
136
289
47
2,463
2,128
2,551
305
Bromley
268
362
194
2,550
2,325
2,646
306
Croydon
365
292
319
2,934
3,085
3,244
307
Ealing
270
293
255
2,968
2,598
2,549
308
Enfield
43
207
168
2,923
2,983
2,946
203
Greenwich
420
620
497
1,751
1,594
1,596
310
Harrow
211
455
427
1,898
1,598
1,657
311
Havering
376
201
231
1,596
1,735
1,772
312
Hillingdon
598
513
269
2,019
2,123
2,327
313
Hounslow
320
345
276
1,889
1,801
1,620
314
Kingston upon Thames
176
47
110
1,069
1,248
1,191
315
Merton
332
297
292
1,415
1,436
1,371
317
Redbridge
85
0
24
2,752
2,719
2,696
9 Feb 2009 : Column 1723W
9 Feb 2009 : Column 1724W
318
Richmond upon Thames
135
116
200
1,634
1,424
1,439
319
Sutton
164
175
156
1,431
1,534
1,699
320
Waltham Forest
69
69
114
2,669
2,588
2,594
South East
10,790
10,790
8,440
49,100
51,410
55,030
867
Bracknell Forest
111
142
183
799
817
786
846
Brighton and Hove
285
360
337
1,833
1,781
1,699
825
Buckinghamshire
611
800
749
3,313
3,249
3,507
845
East Sussex
424
421
214
2,491
2,544
3,063
850
Hampshire
1,661
1,601
1,018
7,138
7,773
8,074
921
Isle of Wight
369
138
175
361
509
719
886
Kent
1,543
1,506
1,314
9,198
9,479
9,500
887
Medway
584
622
491
1,707
1,676
1,957
826
Milton Keynes
492
387
241
1,446
1,826
1,966
931
Oxfordshire
1,068
1,119
703
2,650
2,763
2,883
851
Portsmouth
360
348
134
1,044
1,048
1,270
870
Reading
213
135
172
820
1,003
836
871
Slough
177
66
271
1,218
1,250
1,091
852
Southampton
177
491
192
1,500
1,308
1,672
936
Surrey
1,251
1,267
999
7,135
7,334
8,257
869
West Berkshire
173
202
302
806
846
786
938
West Sussex
854
693
694
4,035
4,557
5,176
868
Windsor and Maidenhead
115
114
46
589
580
621
872
Wokingham
317
377
207
1,016
1,062
1,164
South West
5,190
6,440
5,320
23,390
24,000
25,570
800
Bath and North East Somerset
91
221
179
970
767
969
837
Bournemouth
205
111
141
994
1,040
1,170
801
Bristol, City of
442
585
537
2,391
2,466
2,239
908
Cornwall
422
574
385
1,972
2,016
2,548
878
Devon
737
994
748
2,267
2,719
2,630
835
Dorset
646
626
480
1,823
1,827
2,039
916
Gloucestershire
393
519
680
2,811
2,638
2,662
420
Isles of Scilly
0
0
20
0
0
0
802
North Somerset
115
314
181
1,401
1,148
1,315
879
Plymouth
469
415
224
1,201
1,362
1,367
836
Poole
68
137
0
1,050
965
1,185
933
Somerset
427
362
500
1,674
2,008
2,038
803
South Gloucestershire
248
382
458
1,487
1,505
1,590
866
Swindon
270
426
309
1,173
1,172
1,221
880
Torbay
107
156
64
811
616
890
865
Wiltshire
545
622
412
1,366
1,748
1,710
(1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Classes as taught during a single selected period on the day of the Census in January. Note:
National and regional totals have been rounded to the nearest 10. Source:
School Census
