Stevenson Welcomes Class Size Move

Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed the Scottish Government’s move to legally limit primary 1 class sizes to 25.

The regulations follow a consultation earlier this year and are designed to help local authorities to keep class sizes down when faced with placing requests.

Commenting on the move, Mr Stevenson said:

“The view from the public and from professionals is consistently in favour of reduced class sizes. In Government the SNP has achieved the lowest class-sizes ever seen in Scotland and introducing a legal limit is an important mechanism to support Local Authorities in their delivery of lower class sizes.

"Lower class sizes obviously increases teacher contact time and it plays a key role in both raising pupil attainment and improving behaviour in the classroom.

“In contrast the Tories continue to refuse to accept that smaller class sizes help education and Labour has no ideas and nothing to offer Scottish pupils, parents or schools.

“SNP led Councils have made major inroads into reducing class sizes while Labour led Councils are failing to deliver. That tells you a great deal about their political priorities.”