Statistical Bulletin - Summary Results of the September 1998 School Census

Class size:

5.9 At September 1998, the average class size in publicly funded mainstream classes was 24.9, compared with 18.6 in independent schools.

5.10 In single stage classes of publicly funded primary schools, the average class size was lower in the early stages of P1-P3 at 25.9 pupils per class, compared with 26.9 in single stage P4-P7 classes. A composite class is a class of pupils from two consecutive stages, multi-stage composites include pupils from more than two consecutive stages. The average composite class size was 20.7. A similar pattern was recorded for independent schools, although there were fewer composite classes in independent schools.

Average class sizes in primary schools⁽¹⁾, by school sector and type of class, September 1998
Table 7

⁽¹⁾ Including a small number of classes taught by two teachers.
⁽²⁾ Composite classes includes multi-stage composite classes. See Annex note 3.6.

5.11 The average class size for single stage and composite classes varies depending upon the size of the school, along with other factors. Table 8 shows that the smallest publicly funded primary schools had the lowest average class sizes. It should be noted that these schools had a greater proportion of composite classes, which, with their lower class size maxima (see 5.15) deflated the all-classes average size.

5.12 As the school size increases, so does the average class size for both single stage and composite classes, rising to 30.0 and 24.3 for single stage and composite classes respectively.

Average class sizes in publicly funded primary schools⁽¹⁾, by size of school and type of class, September 1998
Table 8

⁽¹⁾ Including a small number of classes taught by two teachers.
⁽²⁾ Composite classes includes multi-stage composite classes. See Annex note 3.7.

5.13 At September 1998, 73.2 per cent of all mainstream classes in publicly funded primary schools were single stage classes. Since September 1997, the number of single stage classes with more than 30 pupils has decreased by 186 (6.9 per cent).

5.14 Around 19.5 per cent of all single stage classes had more than 30 pupils at September 1998.

Number of mainstream classes and pupils in publicly funded primary schools⁽¹⁾, by size and type of class, September 1998
Table 9

⁽¹⁾ Including a small number of classes taught by two teachers.

⁽²⁾ Composite classes includes multi-stage composite classes. See Annex note 3.7.

5.15 The current class size maxima in primary schools in Scotland are 33 pupils for single stage classes and 25 for composite classes. However, under the new regulations recently introduced, the P1 single stage maximum will be reduced to 30 in August 1999, and the P2 and P3 single stage maxima reduced to 30 in August 2000 and 2001 respectively. Table 10 shows the distribution of pupils in P1-P3 by class size and how this has changed since 1997.

Number of mainstream classes and pupils in publicly funded primary schools⁽¹⁾, by size of single stage P1-P3 classes, 1997 and 1998
Table 10

⁽¹⁾ Including a small number of classes taught by two teachers.

5.16 At September 1998, a very small proportion, 0.5 per cent, of primary school classes were taught by two full-time teachers. In addition, there were 1,503 non-teaching classroom staff (FTE) working with teachers in the classroom in 1998 (see Annex note 3.6). In total, just over 3,100 classes (18 per cent) had some form of non-teaching support in 1998 – just over half of which were deployed in single stage P1-P3 classes.

5.17 A higher proportion of the smaller sized classes (0-20 pupils) had non-teaching classroom staff. Non-teaching classroom staff were more prevalent in smaller composite classes than in smaller single stage classes. Non-teaching classroom staff generally provided more support to single stage P1-P3 classes than single stage P4-P7 classes. For single stage classes in P1-P3 with non-teaching classroom staff, 40 per cent had additional support of between 0.3 and 0.5 FTE, whilst for single stage P4-P7 classes with non-teaching classroom staff, 43 per cent had less than 0.2 FTE additional support.

Number of classes with non-teaching classroom staff in publicly funded primary schools, by size, type of class and FTE of non-teaching classroom staff, September 1998
Table 11

⁽¹⁾ Composite classes includes multi-stage composite classes. See Annex note 3.7.