Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what methodology his Department uses to ascertain appropriate teacher-to-pupil ratios.

Information on pupil teacher ratios (PTR) is published in tables 17a and 17b of the publication, School Workforce in England, 2017 available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/school-workforce-in-england-november-2017.

The PTR is calculated using the November teacher data from the School Workforce Census and the pupil data collected in the following January School Census. Only those schools that provided both pupil and workforce information are included in the calculations. The pupil numbers used in the calculation of the PTR statistics include dual registered pupils. Full time equivalent (FTE) figures are used for both pupils and teachers in each school phase. The PTR is calculated by dividing the total FTE number of pupils on roll in schools by the total FTE number of teachers regularly employed in schools. Figures are rounded to one decimal place.