More than half a million children stuffed into “super-sized” classrooms

More than half a million primary school pupils are crammed into oversized classes, Labour research has revealed.

The figures expose “seven years of Tory failure” shadow schools minister Mike Kane said, with 542,679 children now in super-size classes, defined as 31 pupils and over, as the figures continue to rise.

Some 39,000 primary pupils are now in classes of over 36 pupils, and 16,571 are in classes of at least 40. The jam-packed classroom crisis is now starting to hit secondary schools, with figures showing an increase in the number of pupils in oversized teaching groups growing to 343,020 last year.

The south east and north west are the two worst hit areas in England by the crisis, with over 90,000 primary children in classes over 30. The number of infant age children, between the ages of five and seven, in large classes has nearly trebled since 2010.

Kane said: “The number of pupils being taught in super-sized classes is skyrocketing while schools face the first real terms cuts to their budgets in a generation.”

“This situation is unsustainable. If the Tories wanted to give every child the education they deserve they would ensure that children were not crammed into super-sized classes,” the Wythenshawe and Sale East MP added.

“A Labour government would ensure that schools are built where they are needed, and cap class sizes at 30 for all primary school pupils.”