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English and maths class size fall | English and maths class size fall |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The average size of English and maths classes in the first two years of secondary school fell over the term of the last Scottish administration. | |
A total of 318 schools now have average sizes of 20 or less, compared with 35 in 2003, according to the Scottish Government-published figures. | |
Previous Labour/Lib Dem ministers allowed class sizes of up to 29, if the overall average could be kept to 20. | |
The SNP government said it would continue to deliver lower sizes. | |
The average class size in S1 maths is now 18.5, compared with 25.6 in 2003, while in S2 maths the figure stands at 18.7, compared with 25.3 four years previously. | |
'Lifelong prospects' | |
S1 English class sizes decreased to 18.4 from 26.2 over the same period and the figure for S2 English stood at 18.6, down from 25.7. | S1 English class sizes decreased to 18.4 from 26.2 over the same period and the figure for S2 English stood at 18.6, down from 25.7. |
Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop said the SNP administration would continue to achieve lower class sizes by delivering more than 20,000 new teachers in training and £115m of extra capital funding in 2008-09 to invest in schools. | |
"Early intervention - such as cutting class sizes - will be the hallmark of this government's education policies," she said. | |
"We believe that providing help and support at this vital early stage can make a real difference to a child's lifelong prospects." | |
The previous Labour/Lib Dem executive had originally vowed to cut S1 and S2 maths and English class sizes to a maximum of 20, as part of its coalition agreement. | |
That target was later dropped for the revised one, three months before the last election, which ministers at the time said would give teachers more flexibility. |
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