Crowded school: 'Sometimes parental choice comes at a price'

PARENTAL choice is a popular phrase among politicians, and it is generally agreed that mums and dads should have the biggest say when it comes to educating their kids.

But, like many good things in life, parental choice can come at a price.

That's certainly the experience at Sciennes. Edinburgh's biggest primary school has 643 pupils and was already bulging at the seams before a landmark ruling forced the authorities to admit 10 pupils from outside its catchment area.

In total, the popular school took in 111 new children this Autumn – 36 more than it had planned for. By coincidence, this would be the equivalent of two full primary ones if the SNP had delivered on its 2007 manifesto pledge on class sizes.

But it's not just that target that has been blown out of the water – so too has the Scottish Government's current target of 25 pupils, which the city council has been obliged to ignore since the June ruling at Sciennes.

Even with four P1 and one P1/P2 classes, the school has a class with 30 pupils and another combined group of 40 which has two teachers.

Research suggest this needn't be a problem. The quality of teaching (and, therefore, of the teacher) tends to be more important than the number of pupils – within limits. That is one reason, among many, why private schools tend to get better results even when they have larger classes.

But there can be no doubt that when such big class sizes impact on the teaching environment itself there will be an adverse effect on pupils. This has to be a concern at Sciennes, where pupils are being taught in corridors and even a converted cloakroom.

The lack of space also means children eat lunch at their desk and fail to get their two hours of PE per week – another bust SNP pledge. This can only get worse, not just at Sciennes but at every other popular school.

Edinburgh council is right that ageing schools which are half-empty should be closed if they no longer meet a demographic need. But this only makes sense if there is cash available to build new schools in areas which do need them, or extend existing ones.

Such funds are scarce just now, and they will only come if the Scottish Government finds a public-private funding partnership that works.

Instead, its response has been to say it will make its 25 maximum class size for primary one the law. That will help councils say no to placing requests, and so may ease the situation at schools like Sciennes. But it won't do anything for parental choice.