More than nine out of 10 teachers in the UK believe that larger class sizes are damaging their ability to meet the needs of all pupils, according to a survey by the NASUWT teaching union. The poll of over 3,000 teachers found that 91% felt class sizes were adversely affecting pupils' progress and attainment, while 90% said behaviour was detrimentally impacted.
Three-quarters of teachers reported that class sizes are increasing, with more than a third describing the rise as “significant”. The union warns that staffing shortages and rising pupil numbers are driving the trend, and that cramped conditions are also fuelling COVID-19 transmission. Nearly 80% of respondents said there were not enough learning resources to go around.
Teachers shared examples of the strain: one primary school teacher reported being asked to combine two classes of 22 and 24 pupils, forcing some children to work on the floor. Another early years teacher said it was “impossible to meet the learning needs” of so many children during whole-class time.
The NASUWT will debate a motion at its annual conference calling for maximum class sizes at all key stages. Currently, only key stage one classes in England and Wales are capped at 30. Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT general secretary, said the situation “exposes the failure of government oversight” on pupil place planning and teacher investment.
A Department for Education spokesperson noted that 1m additional school places had been created over 11 years and that primary average class sizes fell in 2020/21. At secondary level, the average remained low at 22 pupils per class despite an increase of almost 800,000 pupils since 2010.
