Councillorssetto approvenewclass sizeguidelines

Councillors will be asked next week to introduce new national guidelines on primary class sizes.

At a meeting of Perth and Kinross Council’s lifelong learning committee on Wednesday, May 16, elected members will view a report setting out the proposal for managing class sizes and ensuring children living within a school’s catchment area are able to attend that particular school.

Elected members will be asked to approve new measures to manage class sizes, such as reconfiguring classes, allocating additional teaching staff and using reserved places to avoid pupils being refused admission to their own catchment school.

Cllr Caroline Shiers, lifelong learning convener at the local authority, said: “We know that one size does not fit all when it comes to our schools and there are instances from time to time where we have to manage capacity, with the focus on continuing to deliver a high quality learning experience for pupils.

“As such, this gives us the necessary flexibility required to ensure we can minimise the number of children who may not be able to be accommodated in their catchment school.”

She added:“I would want to stress that by adopting this approach we will never seek to exceed nationally agreed class sizes at any time.

“Adding this guidance to the range of steps we can take if necessary can only benefit schools, staff and children by providing flexibility in our management approach.”