Schools: Primary School Places

Baroness Sharp of Guildford Excerpts

Monday 16th July 2012 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hill of Oareford]

My Lords, I know the case to which the noble Baroness refers. With regard to new primary provision, in many cases where there is new free school provision coming in, there is a basic need. In the specific case to which she refers, it is also the case that we are trying to increase the supply of excellent places and the academy that is seeking to open a primary has done a brilliant job in turning around a school that was previously failing. It became a sponsored academy under the previous Government. If it can extend that to primary school children, I think that it will be doing a good job.

[Baroness Sharp of Guildford]

What proportion of children in primary schools, given the pressure on places, is likely to be in classes of more than 30 in the next few years?

[Lord Hill of Oareford]

I am not able to give my noble friend precise figures, partly because we are working with local authorities to get a better understanding of the particular pressures at a very local level. I am advised that the number of classes of more than 30 has been falling, but we will need to keep an eye on that and the legislation dealing with it remains in place.