Summary statistics for schools in Scotland no. 7: 2016 edition

4. Classes and pupils

12.7% of P1-P3 pupils were taught in classes of 18 or fewer
23.5 average class size for pupils in primary school

Table 4.1 shows the average class size for pupils in primary school in 2016 was 23.5. This is a slight increase from 23.4 in 2015. Class size data are not collected in the secondary sector as class size varies widely across subjects.

Table 4.1: Average class size of primary school pupils ⁽¹⁾, 2010 to 2016

(1) Data refer to the average class size of pupils in each stage, not the average class size of single stage classes. The total average class size is calculated on a different basis than the P1 to P3 class sizes, see background note 3.

(2) Statistics for 2015 were updated in February 2016, see background note 2.

Table 4.2 shows the number of P1-P3 pupils in publicly funded schools in various class sizes. It is a Scottish Government aspiration to reduce P1-P3 class sizes to 18 or fewer.

In 2016, 21,906 (12.7 per cent) of P1-P3 pupils were taught in classes of 18 or fewer (including those taught by two teachers at all times with a class size of 36 or fewer). This is up from 20,999 (12.2 per cent) in 2015. The number of pupils taught in classes of 26 or more decreased from 47,147 in 2015 to 46,293. This represents 26.8 per cent of pupils, a smaller proportion than the 27.3 per cent recorded in 2015.

Table 4.2: Number of P1-P3 pupils by class size, 2010 to 2016 ⁽¹⁾

(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.

(2) Statistics for 2015 were updated in February 2016, see background note 2.

Legislation was introduced in November 2010 to limit class sizes for P1 pupils to 25. Table 4.3 shows the number of P1 pupils by class size. Some P1 pupils may be in classes of over 25 due to the inclusion of one or more "excepted pupil" (see background note 3). In 2016 the number of pupils in classes of 26 or more was 698; higher than in 2015 but still considerably lower than before the legislation was introduced in 2010.

Table 4.3: Number of P1 pupils by class size, 2006 to 2015

(1) Statistics for 2015 were updated in February 2016, see background note 2.

Table 4.4 shows that the percentage of P1-P3 pupils in classes of 18 or fewer varies considerably between local authorities. One of the main reasons for this is the differing proportions of schools with a small number of pupils between local authorities.

Table 4.4: Percentage of P1-P3 pupils in classes of size 18 or fewer or in two teacher classes with a pupil teacher ratio of 18 or fewer, by local authority, 2010 to 2016

(1) The statistics for Scotland include one grant aided mainstream school.

(2) Statistics for 2015 were updated in February 2016, see background note 2.

Table 4.5 shows the pupil characteristics primarily used in equalities monitoring. In 2016, 86.2 per cent of pupils were recorded as being White-Scottish or White-other British. The largest other ethnic backgrounds include White-Other (4.8 per cent), Asian Pakistani (1.9 per cent) and mixed (1.2 per cent).

170,329 pupils (24.9 per cent of all pupils) had an additional support need ( ASN) recorded. This includes pupils in special schools and those in mainstream schools with a Co-ordinated Support Plan ( CSP), Individualised Education Programme ( IEP), Child Plan or some other type of support.

Table 4.5: Pupil characteristics: ethnicity, additional support needs and English as an additional language by gender, 2016 ⁽¹⁾

(1) Statistics for ethnicity and English as an Additional Language do not include grant aided special schools as this information is not collected. There were 207 pupils at grant aided special schools in 2016.

(2) Pupils may have more than one type of ASN, therefore the totals for ASN may not equal the sum of individual types of ASN.