Small classes make a big difference

Anastasia De Waal, 15 May 2009

This week the DCSF showed a rise in the proportion of infant classes with over 30 pupils: a shift from 1.5% to 1.7% since January last year.
Aside from the fact that the government is reneging on its pledge over infant class size, evidence shows that classes of 30 are already too big for young children. Academic research on class size defines ‘small’ as being between 15 and 20 pupils in a class, with a minority of studies including up to 25 pupils. In spite of this, in 1997 the Labour government’s pledge for ‘small’ infant class sizes set a legal limit of 30 pupils per class. Furthermore, government has failed to honour even this flawed pledge by allowing infant classes over 30 in some circumstances.
Whilst there is still controversy over the impact of shrinking class sizes amongst older pupils, the research clearly shows that small infant classes make a difference. For example, evidence from CSPAR, a longitudinal study on the impact of class size in England found that pupils were ‘more likely to passively listen to the teacher as “one in the crowd”. In smaller classes, however, they were more likely to be asked questions and interact with the teacher.
The government’s failure to commit to genuinely small infant classes is a big disappointment. Firstly it defies parents’ wishes and secondly it defies a proven way to narrow the achievement gap.

CSPAR evidence: Significantly less research on the effect of class size has been carried out in England than in the US, however the largest study to date, the Class Size and Pupil Adult Ratio (CSPAR) project undertaken by researchers at the University of London’s Institute of Education, has shown a strong relationship between small classes and greater achievement. CSPAR analysed a sample of over 10,000 pupils from school entry until the end of Key Stage 1. The researchers identified a ‘clear effect’ in literacy and numeracy attainment, even after adjusting for other ‘possible confounding factors’. Pupils entering school with low literacy levels progressed the most. The researchers concluded that the effect was comparable to that reported by the STAR project, meaning that the impact of class size reduction is supported by both ‘experimental’ (STAR design) and ‘non-experimental’ research (CSPAR design) (Blatchford, P. et al., ‘Are class size differences related to pupils’ educational progress and classroom processes? Findings from the Institute of Education class size study of children aged 5-7,’ British Educational Research Journal, Vol. 29, 2003, pp 709-730; The Primary Review, Interim Reports: Research Survey 9/2, ‘Classes, Groups and Transitions: Structures for Teaching and Learning,’ 2008)