❓ Hon Barbara Scott asks about kindergarten class sizes exceeding 20 students. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich provides data on the number of classes and students affected, and explains the reasons for exceeding the recommended class size, including local population pressures and irregular attendance.
AnsweredQoN 1435Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
During the estimates committee hearing of Wednesday, 4 June this year I asked a question about kindergarten class sizes and was told that there were 613 straight kindergarten classes, of which 86 per cent had 20 or fewer children. Will the minister inform the Parliament of the number of children in the 14 per cent of straight kindergarten classes with more than 20 children? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. Currently, there are 621 straight kindergarten classes, of which 63, or 10.1 per cent, have more than 20 students. There are 1 378 children in the 63 classes with student numbers greater than 20. That is 118 more students than would be the case if those classes did not exceed 20. In catering for local population pressures, schools may enrol additional children when children enrol at the school during the year; attendance by some children is irregular and average attendance is not above the recommended class size; and accommodating a few extra children in the class can avoid the restructuring of other classes across the school. These changes to class sizes are negotiated with teachers and in most cases additional teacher and/or teacher assistant time is allocated.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. Currently, there are 621 straight kindergarten classes, of which 63, or 10.1 per cent, have more than 20 students. There are 1 378 children in the 63 classes with student numbers greater than 20. That is 118 more students than would be the case if those classes did not exceed 20. In catering for local population pressures, schools may enrol additional children when children enrol at the school during the year; attendance by some children is irregular and average attendance is not above the recommended class size; and accommodating a few extra children in the class can avoid the restructuring of other classes across the school. These changes to class sizes are negotiated with teachers and in most cases additional teacher and/or teacher assistant time is allocated.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. Currently, there are 621 straight kindergarten classes, of which 63, or 10.1 per cent, have more than 20 students. There are 1 378 children in the 63 classes with student numbers greater than 20. That is 118 more students than would be the case if those classes did not exceed 20. In catering for local population pressures, schools may enrol additional children when children enrol at the school during the year; attendance by some children is irregular and average attendance is not above the recommended class size; and accommodating a few extra children in the class can avoid the restructuring of other classes across the school. These changes to class sizes are negotiated with teachers and in most cases additional teacher and/or teacher assistant time is allocated.
Currently, there are 621 straight kindergarten classes, of which 63, or 10.1 per cent, have more than 20 students. There are 1 378 children in the 63 classes with student numbers greater than 20. That is 118 more students than would be the case if those classes did not exceed 20. In catering for local population pressures, schools may enrol additional children when children enrol at the school during the year; attendance by some children is irregular and average attendance is not above the recommended class size; and accommodating a few extra children in the class can avoid the restructuring of other classes across the school. These changes to class sizes are negotiated with teachers and in most cases additional teacher and/or teacher assistant time is allocated.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. Currently, there are 621 straight kindergarten classes, of which 63, or 10.1 per cent, have more than 20 students. There are 1 378 children in the 63 classes with student numbers greater than 20. That is 118 more students than would be the case if those classes did not exceed 20. In catering for local population pressures, schools may enrol additional children when children enrol at the school during the year; attendance by some children is irregular and average attendance is not above the recommended class size; and accommodating a few extra children in the class can avoid the restructuring of other classes across the school. These changes to class sizes are negotiated with teachers and in most cases additional teacher and/or teacher assistant time is allocated.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. Currently, there are 621 straight kindergarten classes, of which 63, or 10.1 per cent, have more than 20 students. There are 1 378 children in the 63 classes with student numbers greater than 20. That is 118 more students than would be the case if those classes did not exceed 20. In catering for local population pressures, schools may enrol additional children when children enrol at the school during the year; attendance by some children is irregular and average attendance is not above the recommended class size; and accommodating a few extra children in the class can avoid the restructuring of other classes across the school. These changes to class sizes are negotiated with teachers and in most cases additional teacher and/or teacher assistant time is allocated.
Currently, there are 621 straight kindergarten classes, of which 63, or 10.1 per cent, have more than 20 students. There are 1 378 children in the 63 classes with student numbers greater than 20. That is 118 more students than would be the case if those classes did not exceed 20. In catering for local population pressures, schools may enrol additional children when children enrol at the school during the year; attendance by some children is irregular and average attendance is not above the recommended class size; and accommodating a few extra children in the class can avoid the restructuring of other classes across the school. These changes to class sizes are negotiated with teachers and in most cases additional teacher and/or teacher assistant time is allocated.
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