Smith: SNP Class sizes pledge in tatters

The SNP Government will announce plans to introduce a new legal maximum class size of 25 for P1. This follows them agreeing earlier this year a framework on class sizes with CoSLA, including the situation whereby two teachers being used in a single classroom will now be recognised as progress towards smaller classes.

Liz Smith MSP, Shadow Minister for Children, Schools & Skills, says:

"The SNP made a very specific manifesto pledge to deliver class sizes of 18 or fewer for all P1-3.

"Last year, after councils bluntly told the SNP that they couldn't deliver this policy, that target was abandoned and replaced with a more ‘flexible' 20% and a blatant attempt to doctor the statistics by claiming that a class of 30 pupils with two teachers can count as two classes of 15. This is dishonest and is yet more proof of the abject failure of the class size policy.

"The amount of time which has been wasted by the SNP trying to square a circle on class sizes is unacceptable. There are so many other educational priorities just now, including making sure more of our pupils can leave school able to read, write and count properly.

"Class sizes should be decided by headteachers and not by government. The SNP should stop trying to hoodwink parents and teachers."

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