Schools in Scotland 2022: summary statistics

Classes and pupils

The overall average class size for primary has increased from 23.2 in 2021 to 23.3 in 2022 (Table 16). The average class size for P1-P3 increased from 23.0 to 23.1 between 2021 and 2022. The average class size for P4-7 also increased between 2021 to 2022 from 25.5 to 25.7. Statistics on class sizes in the secondary sector are not collected as class size varies widely across subjects.

Table 17 shows that the number of P1-P3 pupils taught in classes of 26 or more increased from 39,723 in 2021 to 40,441 in 2022. The number of pupils taught in classes of 18 or fewer decreased from 20,328 in 2021 to 20,235 in 2022. However, the reduction in the number of pupils in P1-P3 meant that the proportion of pupils taught in classes of 18 or fewer increased from 12.5% in 2021 to 12.6% in 2022.

Legislation limits class sizes to 25 for P1 pupils and to 30 for P2 and P3, however classes may exceed these limits due the inclusion of one or more ‘excepted pupils’ (see background notes for more information).

In 2022 the number of P1 pupils in classes of 26 or more was 409; this was an increase from 293 in 2021. In 2022, there were 17 classes with 26 or more pupils and at least one P1 pupil, compared to 12 such classes in 2021 (data not shown).

Table 19 shows that the percentage of P1-P3 pupils in classes of 18 or fewer varied considerably between local authorities and years. One of the main reasons for this was the differing number of small schools between local authorities.

Table 20 shows pupils broken down by characteristics used in equalities monitoring. In 2022, 81.2% of pupils were recorded as being White-Scottish or White-other British. The next largest proportions of ethnic backgrounds were White-Other (3.6%), White-Polish (2.4%), Asian Pakistani (2.1%) and mixed (1.7%).

The number of pupils identified with additional support needs (ASN) has increased markedly since 2010 and there continue to be year on year increases (see table 1.5 of the supplementary tables). These increases were likely due in part to continued improvements in recording and the introduction of the additional need types 'Child plans' and ‘Other’ in 2011.

There were 241,639 pupils (34.2% of all pupils) with an additional support need (ASN) recorded in 2022. This was an increase of 1.2 percentage points on 2021 (232,753 pupils with an ASN record, 33.0% of all pupils).

Statistics on additional support needs include pupils in special schools and those in mainstream schools who are assessed or declared disabled, or have a Co-ordinated Support Plan (CSP), Individualised Education Programme (IEP), Child Plan or another type of support. Pupils may have more than one type of ASN, therefore the totals for ASN do not equal the sum of individual types of ASN.

Table 16: Average class size of primary school pupils by stage

Note 1: Data refers to the average class size of pupils in each stage, not the average class size of single stage classes. The total primary average class size is calculated on a different basis to all the other class sizes shown, see background notes for details.

Table 17: P1-P3 pupils by class size

Note 1: The percentage of P1-P3 pupils in classes of 18 or fewer includes two-teacher classes with 36 or fewer. Classes taught by two teachers at all times are treated as two classes of half the size.

Table 18: P1 pupils by class size

Table 19: P1-P3 pupils in classes of size 18 or fewer or in two teacher classes with a pupil teacher ratio of 18 or fewer (percentage)

Note 1: The statistics for Scotland include one grant-aided mainstream school.

Table 20: Pupil ethnicity by sex

Table 21: Pupils with additional support needs (ASN) and English as an additional language by sex

Note 1: Statistics for English as an Additional Language do not include grant-aided special schools as this information is not collected for these pupils. There were 132 pupils at grant-aided special schools in 2022.

Note 2: See the background notes for further information on what the other category includes.

Note 3: Pupils may have more than one type of ASN, therefore the totals for ASN may not equal the sum of individual types of ASN.