Class sizes should be limited to a maximum of 18 pupils in the first three years of primary schools, a teaching union leader claimed yesterday.

Avril Hall Callaghan, general secretary of the Ulster Teachers’ Union, was addressing members at their annual conference in Newcastle, Co Down.

She said: “We have some of the biggest class sizes in schools of the developed world, yet with changes to the way that our young people are educated brought by the revised curriculum, we need class size reductions so they receive the attention and the quality of education that they deserve.

“Many current class sizes are now completely incompatible with modern teaching and learning practice. They are short-changing children and putting intoler- able burdens on teachers.”

The UTU is following the lead of colleagues in Scotland and the Republic who are campaigning for classes of 18 and 24, respectively.

Crucially, in Scotland, 300 additional teachers were being employed last year — a decision welcomed by the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) as a key move towards reducing class sizes to a maximum of 18 pupils in the first three years of primary school.

“We too have many unemployed teachers who could be used to help reduce class sizes,” continued Ms Hall Callaghan.

“Primary schools need to be treated exactly the same as their secondary counterparts.

“When are we going to learn that the biggest single influence on our education system is class size — we look at countries like Finland or Sweden that are top of the educational rankings and we see they operate with much smaller class sizes.

“Smaller class sizes have been shown to bring clear educational benefits for pupils. Children can have more one-to-one time with the teacher with all the benefits that brings in terms of improved pupil behaviour, educational performance and attainment.

“Is it any wonder parents who can afford private schools in England opt for it because their |children are taught in groups of 12 or 15?”

In December, it was confirmed in response to a written Assembly question from UUP MLA Ken Robinson, that 115 classes in schools across the province exceeded the Department of Education's recommended class size limit of 30 pupils for P1 to P4 during the last school year.