Union Calls for Smaller Class Sizes Amid Falling Pupil Numbers
Falling pupil numbers in England's schools should be leveraged to reduce class sizes, according to the National Education Union (NEU), the country's largest education union.
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU, told the BBC that approximately one million pupils are currently taught in classes exceeding 31 children.
Data from the Department for Education projects a 6.8% decline in primary pupil numbers between 2023 and 2029, while secondary school numbers are expected to remain stable.
Recent government figures reveal a slight decrease in the overall number of school teachers, alongside progress toward the government's goal of recruiting 6,500 additional teachers. This target encompasses secondary and special schools, as well as further education colleges.
The latest statistics indicate that 4,654 new teachers have been recruited in these sectors, marking solid advancement toward the 6,500 target set for the end of the current parliamentary term.
However, there was an overall reduction of 1,900 full-time teachers in schools in 2025.
In April 2026, the government clarified that its manifesto commitment to increase teacher numbers does not include primary schools or early years education.
With declining primary pupil numbers, the government has reduced its recruitment target for new teachers in the upcoming school year by 23%.
NEU Advocates Using Decline in Pupil Numbers to Reduce Class Sizes
Kebede argued that instead of scaling back teacher recruitment, the government should seize the "historic opportunity" presented by falling pupil numbers to reduce class sizes.
"At the moment we have the largest class sizes in Europe, a million children taught in classes of 31 or more," Kebede said, adding that during the previous Labour government, teacher numbers decreased at a slower rate than pupil numbers.
He emphasized the need for more teachers to implement government plans aimed at supporting a significantly higher number of children with special educational needs in mainstream schools by 2030.
Challenges at North Mead Primary Academy
At North Mead Primary Academy in Leicester, nearly half of the pupils qualify for free school meals, reflecting their low-income backgrounds. Many students also have special educational needs.
Ben Burpitt, principal of North Mead Primary Academy, highlighted the difficulty in recruiting specialist teachers.
"We have had particular trouble trying to find a special trained teacher for our group of most vulnerable children," he said.
With pupil numbers declining, Burpitt anticipates a reduction in the school's budget, which is allocated on a per-pupil basis. He is therefore balancing the composition of teachers and support staff carefully.
The pay increase for support staff for 2026-27 has been confirmed at 3.3%, which school leaders must fund from their existing budgets.
One approach among this group of academies involves training their own staff to address these challenges.
Adapting Training to Demographic Changes
Sara McAdam, who leads the academy trust's training institute, explained how they are adjusting to the declining birth rate.
"We're going to have to look at that and make sure that we're not recruiting too many primary trainees so that they aren't then able to be employed by the end of the year."
Joseph Brown, a new teacher at North Mead Primary this year, trained through the academy trust's scheme after previously working as a teaching assistant.
His salary has increased to the bottom of the teachers' pay scale in England, approximately £32,000, and he expressed satisfaction with this.
"It's not necessarily something that you do for money. You do the job because you enjoy it," Brown said.
Context of Teachers' Pay Negotiations
These developments form the backdrop to ongoing teachers' pay negotiations, with the possibility of a strike ballot looming in the autumn.
The government is expected to announce the pay award within weeks. The NEU has indicated it will hold a ballot if the pay increase is not supported by additional funding rather than being drawn from existing school budgets.
A Department for Education spokesperson stated:
"We have already made significant progress on our promise to recruit and retain an additional 6,500 teachers so every child has access to the expert teachers they need."
The spokesperson added that the government has taken steps to restore teaching as a "highly valued profession," with pay rising by nearly 10% over the past two years.
Additional reporting by Hope Rhodes
