SCOTLAND CAPS P1 CLASSES AT 25 – WILL NORTHERN IRELAND FOLLOW…

Decision-makers in Northern Ireland could learn much from the Scottish Parliament’s recent decision to limit P1 classes to 25 pupils, it was claimed today.

Avril Hall Callaghan, General Secretary of the UTU, said the cap on class sizes would benefit children and teachers.

“Children’s learning needs are increasingly sophisticated and cannot be met by large class sizes and yet P1 classes in Northern Ireland can still have up to 30 children,” she said.

“Primary education is the critical foundation for children and young people going on to reach their full educational potential and smaller classes help teachers deliver the high standards that children deserve and parents expect.”

“Many current class sizes are now completely incompatible with modern teaching and learning practice. They are short-changing children and putting intolerable burdens on teachers.

“Smaller class sizes have been shown to bring clear educational benefits for pupils. Children can have more one-to-one time with the teacher with all the benefits that brings in terms of improved pupil behaviour, educational and return our children’s well-being to the centre of our education system.”

Ms Hall Callaghan said class sizes could be reduced by using recently qualified teachers who were being forced to leave Northern Ireland to find work.

“We have many unemployed teachers who could be used to help reduce class sizes. Is it any wonder parents who can afford private schools in England opt for it because their children are taught in groups of 12 or 15?” she said.

“The disparity between the higher and lower achievers in Northern Ireland has also long been recognised but when are we going to learn that the biggest single influence on our education system is class size.”

The Northern Ireland Teachers’ Council, the body that represents all the teaching unions in Northern Ireland, recently resolved to campaign on the class size issue.