Time and time again, parents and teachers tell me that they are concerned about class sizes. We have listened to these concerns, looked at the international evidence, and are today announcing the details of a new £36 million fund to address infant class sizes. This investment, linked to our other reforms, will improve early years attainment, have a significant impact for poorer and disadvantaged pupils, and support teachers to be innovative and to increase pupil engagement.

Now, too often, discussion concerning class sizes contracts to a false choice between smaller classes and other education improvement policies. I don’t accept this narrow view of class sizes as an irrelevant factor in the performance and the well-being of our young people. But, Deputy Presiding Officer, nor do I offer it as a magic bullet for our education system. It is not a policy that will be delivered in isolation. Having reviewed international research and evidence, it shows that the effects of a reduction in class sizes are greatest in the youngest age group. We also know that the impact is stronger for pupils from poorer and/or minority-language backgrounds. And, a reduction has the largest effect when accompanied by changes and reforms to teaching and pedagogy.

Therefore, based on the evidence, our investment of both revenue and capital funding will target schools with the largest class sizes, where teaching and learning needs to improve, where there are high levels of deprivation and where English or Welsh is not the first language.

The most significant UK-based research into class sizes was conducted by the world-leading Institute of Education at the University College London. Tracking over 20,000 pupils in over 500 classes across 300 schools, the research concluded that there was a very clear effect of class sizes on academic achievement during early years and that pupils from lower-attainment groups benefitted in particular from smaller classes. These results are comparable to similar projects and policy interventions conducted in North America.

In 2003, Estyn reported that, for certain groups of children—in particular, youngest children, those with special needs, those being taught in a language other than their first, and those who live in areas of high social and cultural disadvantage—there were benefits to be gained from being taught as part of a small group. Estyn recommended then that if it was decided to pursue a policy of further reduction in class sizes, these groups of children should be targeted.

We are taking a strategic view of what can be achieved through this investment. In bidding for funding, to ensure that it reaches the front line and where it is most needed, the criteria will include: schools with class sizes of 29 or more; high levels of free school meals; below-average outcomes, and where a school is judged to be red or amber in our national categorisation; high levels of additional learning needs; high levels of where English or Welsh is not the first language; and possible co-location and integrated delivery of the foundation phase with our Government’s childcare offer.

Local authorities, via consortia, will bid for funding to support schools against this criteria. In doing so, they would need to submit a business case for each proposal, which would also include details of what additional help is going into those schools and the current focus of PDG and education improvement grant. Each business case would also have to include specific outcomes in relation to improvements in performance, attendance, teacher-pupil ratios and sustainability. Bids will need to take into account a wide range of data, including school capacity, teacher-to-pupil ratios, attendance, performance—including the performance of children on free school meals—categorisation, school action and the number of SEN-statemented pupils.

Additional teachers secured through the reduction in class sizes would support compliance with foundation ratios and, importantly, it would also provide additional qualified teacher time, which is crucial for the effective implementation of the foundation phase pedagogy. There is a clear link between my announcement and the development of our childcare offer. I will expect bids to consider joint working and efficiencies on capital projects where there is a need for additional childcare facilities, as well as additional infant classrooms to deliver foundation phase.

Deputy Presiding Officer, to conclude, our education reforms seek to raise standards, reduce the attainment gap and deliver an education system that is a source of national pride and national confidence. Today, we are responding to the concerns of parents and teachers, delivering a ‘made in Wales’ policy shaped by international evidence and guaranteeing £36 million of investment that will reduce infant class sizes so that we raise standards for all.