School heads advised to 'fiddle' figures to meet class-size pledge

Published on Monday 8 June 2009 22:02

HEADTEACHERS are being told to create larger classes – as part of a "ridiculous" bid to hit targets on smaller-sized classes which risks creating a "two-tier" education system, it has been claimed.

Critics say the policy will see some pupils benefit from small classes at the expense of others forced into larger groups.

An e-mail seen by The Scotsman revealed South Ayrshire Council had advised heads, expecting a primary-one intake of 40, to create a class of 18 and one of 22, rather than two of 20.

That will allow the authority to claim half of its primary-one classes are fulfilling the maximum of 18. However, it means many children being in a larger class than necessary.

The leaked memo from a council insider said: "We have also advised schools that, where possible, they should consider creating a class of 18 or less at the expense of another class being higher than the 18. Although this may sound illogical, schools will be able to place children in the lower class where they will benefit educationally from this."

Greg Dempster, general secretary of the Association of Heads and Deputes in Scotland, which represents primary headteachers described the move as "ridiculous". He said: "It is statistics driving policy decisions in a totally ridiculous way.

"The product of what they are saying is yes, the number of classes with more than 18 in them will reduce, but at the detriment of the class size of the rest of the pupils. It's nonsense."

He fears the policy is being adopted by other councils. He said: "As soon as you put in a target that people have a vested interest in meeting, then misguided ideas like this will come out of the woodwork."

The SNP government vowed in its election manifesto to reduce class sizes in the first three years of primary to 18.

But so little progress has been made on the policy that Scotland's biggest teaching union, the EIS, voted at its annual conference at the weekend for a national campaign, including industrial action, over the issue.

Brian McInroy, head of service and school management at South Ayrshire Council, said class-size targets would be taken into account when structuring classes for next year. He said:

"Wherever possible, straight classes and composite classes will be split into numbers to deliver progress towards the 18-pupil class-sizes target."

Rhona Brankin, Labour's shadow Cabinet secretary for education, branded the approach "flawed". She said: "The figures are being fiddled at children's expense. This policy risks creating a two-tier system where only some children benefit. The SNP is failing miserably to deliver their class-size pledge."

East Renfrewshire Council recently abandoned the target of a maximum of 18 as it cannot legally turn away parents if classes are under 30. Currently, the statutory maximum class size is 30, leaving councils no defence if they refuse pupils in a bid to keep class sizes low.

Ronnie Smith, EIS general secretary, last week called for legislation to enshrine the lower class maximum in law.