Primary limit 'step closer'

Plans to bring in a legal limit of 25 for Primary One classes took another step forward today.

On a visit to Letham Primary School in Livingston, Education Secretary Mike Russell was due to reveal the results of a consultation on the issue, which is expected to pave the way for the new regulations to be in place for youngsters starting school in August 2011.

The current legal limit of a maximum of 30 pupils per class has meant local authorities have faced legal challenges for turning down placing requests when trying to reduce class sizes.

The SNP pledged at the 2007 election to cut class sizes to 18 in primaries one to three.