25 September 2009

Aberdeen Central Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald today called on Aberdeen City Council to provide greater flexibility and choice for parents, now SNP ministers have dropped their commitment to maximum class size of 18 in primaries 1 to 3 by 2011.

Lewis Macdonald said:

"The SNP were elected on a manifesto promise to reduce class sizes to18 for children in the first three years of primary school by 2011, but this week they abandoned that commitment.

"Two years ago I raised concerns about this policy and I was told by the then Chief Executive of Aberdeen City Council that the only way they could achieve class sizes of 18 or fewer was by stopping kids from outwith local catchment areas from attending the most popular schools.

"Now that Fiona Hyslop has abandoned the target of class sizes of 18, I have asked Aberdeen City Council to review their approach to parental choice placement applications.

"If indeed their previous approach of restricting choice was a result of Scottish Government policy, they are now free to take a different approach."