There aren’t too many commentators asking the question that the BBC Scotland’s political editor Brian Taylor posed in his recent Blether with Brian blog, is the SNP policy of reducing class sizes in primary schools to 18 or fewer a sensible one? 

This is a pertinent question to ask as it does not immediately follow that reduced class sizes, at any level be it primary, secondary or tertiary will result in the level of raised attainment often discussed by the media and our national politicians. 

As it happens  evidence from the USA would suggest that as pupils progress from early to middle to senior education levels that the impact of reduced class sizes diminishes.  There is a need for more study into this effect but it would certainly call into question the merits in spending large amounts of money for small gains in academic achievement.

There has to be a full debate in Scotland on this issue, including a detailed look at the many factors which would impact upon any decision to reduce class sizes.  Would there be extra funding to invest in the training necessary to educate teachers on how best to utilise the changes and work effectively with the smaller groups of pupils?  Do we have the classrooms to support smaller class sizes within the current school estate provision? (I would think not, given the number of schools in need of replacement across Scotland).  Also should such a policy really only be targeted to areas of acute social deprivation where benefits could and should be delivered?

Instead of these questions being discussed we have a populist argument that class sizes should be lowered or standards won’t improve.  In fact even with a lowering of class sizes in Primary schools standards may still not improve, unless we start to look deeper into the issue.

At secondary level the Scottish Executive has already ensured a reduction in class sizes in S1 and S2 for Maths and English (bringing them in line with practical subjects such a Science and Technical) but crucially there has been an agreement, despite Union objections, that there would be an average class size of 20 and not a maximum.  Pupils of higher ability can work in groups larger than 20 but for some, of lower ability, it is important to bring the class size down considerably, even as low as 10 or 12.  It is this kind of flexibility which must be built in to any system for lowering class sizes in Scottish schools.

Evidence supports the idea that individual teachers, school managers and Head Teachers should be given the freedom to make these decisions within a framework of clear guidelines and adequate investment in the key resource required, namely teachers.

In a recent talk given at Cambridge University, Dylan William (University of London) outlined the arguments for investing in teacher education against reducing class sizes on the grounds not only of cost but also effectiveness.

He points out that reducing class sizes is expensive and limited in its impact. Investing in teacher training however, through initiatives such as Assessment is for Learning and Formative assessment techniques, can cost much less and deliver better results in raised attainment and pupil engagement.  Better teachers create the conditions for learning to occur much more effectively than smaller classes ever can.

Why then in Glasgow and across other local authorities has there been a reduction in  investment in education at classroom level?  There has been a tendency to lower recruitment of teachers in some authorities resulting in a national scandal over teacher numbers and the resignation of the Education Minister.  Local authorities clearly have a great deal of responsibility here as they have allowed the situation to develop at least as much as the Scottish Government have.

Should we take schools out of their control?  The answer has to be no.  If we wish to preserve the all important element of accountability then we must retain the democratic link which local government affords.  A greater deal of devolution to individual schools, though not under a trust school model as in England, would be a positive move, allowing local decisions to be made for the benefit of local schools.

Returning to the original question - yes we should consider lowering class sizes but only on the basis of strong research and evidence supporting it and with the necessarily concomitant extra investment in teachers to make it work.