❓ Mr. Day questions the Education and Training portfolio regarding class sizes exceeding 24 students in Years 1-3, seeking details on the number of such classes per school and the reasons for their existence. The response details class size statistics and cites a clause in the Certified Agreement allowing for variations based on school needs and resource availability.
AnsweredQoN 1493Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(b) for each such school, how many classes are larger than 24 students and what is the size of each class; and (c) for each such school, what is the precise reason for having classes of more than 24 students?
(c) for each such school, what is the precise reason for having classes of more than 24 students?
(a) and (b) Census information provided by schools in February 2003 showed a total of 2 157 Year 1-3 classes (1 237 straight classes and 920 mixed). Of these, 1 311 (60.7%) had less than 24 students; 363 (16.8%) had 24 students; and 483 (22.4%) had more than 24 students. In other words, 77.6% of all Year 1-3 classes had 24 or fewer students. The average class sizes were all below 24. Year 1, 21.9 (metropolitan) and 20.6 (country). Year 2, 22.9 (metropolitan) and 21.4 (country). Year 3, 23.6 (metropolitan) and 22.0 (country). The location of the 483 classes exceeding 24 in number and the sizes of these classes are shown below. Of the 483 classes, 43.1% have 25 students. Please see attached table. (c) For each school, the precise reason for having a class or classes larger than 24 relates to section 22.2 of the Certified Agreement which states that 'it is recognised that school and student needs may require variation from these class sizes, provided that (a) teacher(s) requested to accept a class size greater than those referred to above, can utilise the grievance procedures if they feel aggrieved by any proposed variation; and (b) implementation is to be within available physical and human resources'.
The average class sizes were all below 24. Year 1, 21.9 (metropolitan) and 20.6 (country). Year 2, 22.9 (metropolitan) and 21.4 (country). Year 3, 23.6 (metropolitan) and 22.0 (country). The location of the 483 classes exceeding 24 in number and the sizes of these classes are shown below. Of the 483 classes, 43.1% have 25 students. Please see attached table. (c) For each school, the precise reason for having a class or classes larger than 24 relates to section 22.2 of the Certified Agreement which states that 'it is recognised that school and student needs may require variation from these class sizes, provided that (a) teacher(s) requested to accept a class size greater than those referred to above, can utilise the grievance procedures if they feel aggrieved by any proposed variation; and (b) implementation is to be within available physical and human resources'.
The location of the 483 classes exceeding 24 in number and the sizes of these classes are shown below. Of the 483 classes, 43.1% have 25 students. Please see attached table. (c) For each school, the precise reason for having a class or classes larger than 24 relates to section 22.2 of the Certified Agreement which states that 'it is recognised that school and student needs may require variation from these class sizes, provided that (a) teacher(s) requested to accept a class size greater than those referred to above, can utilise the grievance procedures if they feel aggrieved by any proposed variation; and (b) implementation is to be within available physical and human resources'.
(c) For each school, the precise reason for having a class or classes larger than 24 relates to section 22.2 of the Certified Agreement which states that 'it is recognised that school and student needs may require variation from these class sizes, provided that (a) teacher(s) requested to accept a class size greater than those referred to above, can utilise the grievance procedures if they feel aggrieved by any proposed variation; and (b) implementation is to be within available physical and human resources'.
(c) for each such school, what is the precise reason for having classes of more than 24 students?
(a) and (b) Census information provided by schools in February 2003 showed a total of 2 157 Year 1-3 classes (1 237 straight classes and 920 mixed). Of these, 1 311 (60.7%) had less than 24 students; 363 (16.8%) had 24 students; and 483 (22.4%) had more than 24 students. In other words, 77.6% of all Year 1-3 classes had 24 or fewer students. The average class sizes were all below 24. Year 1, 21.9 (metropolitan) and 20.6 (country). Year 2, 22.9 (metropolitan) and 21.4 (country). Year 3, 23.6 (metropolitan) and 22.0 (country). The location of the 483 classes exceeding 24 in number and the sizes of these classes are shown below. Of the 483 classes, 43.1% have 25 students. Please see attached table. (c) For each school, the precise reason for having a class or classes larger than 24 relates to section 22.2 of the Certified Agreement which states that 'it is recognised that school and student needs may require variation from these class sizes, provided that (a) teacher(s) requested to accept a class size greater than those referred to above, can utilise the grievance procedures if they feel aggrieved by any proposed variation; and (b) implementation is to be within available physical and human resources'.
The average class sizes were all below 24. Year 1, 21.9 (metropolitan) and 20.6 (country). Year 2, 22.9 (metropolitan) and 21.4 (country). Year 3, 23.6 (metropolitan) and 22.0 (country). The location of the 483 classes exceeding 24 in number and the sizes of these classes are shown below. Of the 483 classes, 43.1% have 25 students. Please see attached table. (c) For each school, the precise reason for having a class or classes larger than 24 relates to section 22.2 of the Certified Agreement which states that 'it is recognised that school and student needs may require variation from these class sizes, provided that (a) teacher(s) requested to accept a class size greater than those referred to above, can utilise the grievance procedures if they feel aggrieved by any proposed variation; and (b) implementation is to be within available physical and human resources'.
The location of the 483 classes exceeding 24 in number and the sizes of these classes are shown below. Of the 483 classes, 43.1% have 25 students. Please see attached table. (c) For each school, the precise reason for having a class or classes larger than 24 relates to section 22.2 of the Certified Agreement which states that 'it is recognised that school and student needs may require variation from these class sizes, provided that (a) teacher(s) requested to accept a class size greater than those referred to above, can utilise the grievance procedures if they feel aggrieved by any proposed variation; and (b) implementation is to be within available physical and human resources'.
(c) For each school, the precise reason for having a class or classes larger than 24 relates to section 22.2 of the Certified Agreement which states that 'it is recognised that school and student needs may require variation from these class sizes, provided that (a) teacher(s) requested to accept a class size greater than those referred to above, can utilise the grievance procedures if they feel aggrieved by any proposed variation; and (b) implementation is to be within available physical and human resources'.
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
26 June 2003
Responded by
Minister for Education and Training
Response time
50 days
In accord with section 22.3 of the Government School Teachers’ and School Administrators’ Certified Agreement 2000, the Department of Education and Training resourced schools for 2003 so that no Year 1-3 class needed to have more than 24 students. The adjustment to the staffing formula needed to achieve this, required the provision of an additional 347 teachers compared with what would have been required under the 2002 formula. It should be noted that while each school has been resourced appropriately, it is a matter for the principal to negotiate variations of the actual class sizes where the principal considers it is in the interests of the school to do so.
(a) and (b)
Census information provided by schools in February 2003 showed a total of 2 157 Year 1-3 classes (1 237 straight classes and 920 mixed). Of these, 1 311 (60.7%) had less than 24 students; 363 (16.8%) had 24 students; and 483 (22.4%) had more than 24 students. In other words, 77.6% of all Year 1-3 classes had 24 or fewer students.
The average class sizes were all below 24.
Year 1, 21.9 (metropolitan) and 20.6 (country).
Year 2, 22.9 (metropolitan) and 21.4 (country).
Year 3, 23.6 (metropolitan) and 22.0 (country).
The location of the 483 classes exceeding 24 in number and the sizes of these classes are shown below. Of the 483 classes, 43.1% have 25 students. Please see attached table.
(c) For each school, the precise reason for having a class or classes larger than 24 relates to section 22.2 of the Certified Agreement which states that 'it is recognised that school and student needs may require variation from these class sizes, provided that (a) teacher(s) requested to accept a class size greater than those referred to above, can utilise the grievance procedures if they feel aggrieved by any proposed variation; and (b) implementation is to be within available physical and human resources'.
(a) and (b)
Census information provided by schools in February 2003 showed a total of 2 157 Year 1-3 classes (1 237 straight classes and 920 mixed). Of these, 1 311 (60.7%) had less than 24 students; 363 (16.8%) had 24 students; and 483 (22.4%) had more than 24 students. In other words, 77.6% of all Year 1-3 classes had 24 or fewer students.
The average class sizes were all below 24.
Year 1, 21.9 (metropolitan) and 20.6 (country).
Year 2, 22.9 (metropolitan) and 21.4 (country).
Year 3, 23.6 (metropolitan) and 22.0 (country).
The location of the 483 classes exceeding 24 in number and the sizes of these classes are shown below. Of the 483 classes, 43.1% have 25 students. Please see attached table.
(c) For each school, the precise reason for having a class or classes larger than 24 relates to section 22.2 of the Certified Agreement which states that 'it is recognised that school and student needs may require variation from these class sizes, provided that (a) teacher(s) requested to accept a class size greater than those referred to above, can utilise the grievance procedures if they feel aggrieved by any proposed variation; and (b) implementation is to be within available physical and human resources'.
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