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Sarah Teather and Brent Liberal DemocratsWorking Hard for Brent |
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Labour Class Sizes Failure Has Left Brent Children In "Unlawful" Classrooms - Teather
August 20, 2009 1:24 PM
Local MP Sarah Teather wants the government to cut all infant classes to just 15 pupils, the same as private schools.
Local Liberal Democrat Brent East MP Sarah Teather has spoken out against the government's failure to tackle school place shortages, which has now forced over 100 Brent school children into unlawfully large classes.
New figures released this week show that the number of Brent school children in "unlawfully large" classes has increased by 6% this year, to over 100. Out of the whole of London, Brent children account for more than 10% of the 940 infants forced to attend unlawfully large classes.
Government Ministers at the Department for Children, Schools and Families have repeatedly refused Brent Council's applications for a cash boost. Last week, on 14th August, Brent Council submitted a fresh bid for emergency funding which is currently being considered by the government.
Since 1997 it has been illegal for infant classes to be larger than 30 pupils. Sarah and the Liberal Democrats are proposing that the government give extra cash to schools so that all infant class sizes can be cut to private school levels of just 15.
Local Liberal Democrat MP for Brent East Sarah Teather said:
"Parents concerned about their child's future will be alarmed to hear that the number of children in unlawfully large classes has doubled in only two years. The Government's failure to tackle this issue has left Brent at the thick end of the wedge, with over 100 children in unlawfully large classes.
"With classrooms bursting at the seams, teachers are unable to give the individual attention that our children need. Teachers should be teaching, not struggling to referee noisy and cramped classrooms. We urgently need to give schools extra cash so that infant classes can be cut to private school levels of only 15 children.
"Brent has some of the most crowded schools in the country, yet the Labour Government have consistently refused Brent Council's pleas for emergency funding. Brent should be a special case, yet every time there has been an opportunity to turn things around the Government have chosen to send their money elsewhere.
"All children in Brent deserve the best possible start in life. With Brent's application for emergency funds is sitting in the Minister's in-tray, the Government must seize this opportunity to stop unlawfully large classes from threatening our children's future."
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