MORE than 3,400 school pupils in York are being “crammed into super-sized classes”, new figures reveal.

New data from the Department for Education (DfE) shows there has been a 16.17 per cent rise in the number of York pupils in classrooms of more than 30 children.

Between 2010/11 and 2020/21, the number of students in larger class sizes jumped from 2,962 to 3,441 - a rise of 479.

City of York Council criticised the Government and warned how class sizes have a “major impact on teachers’ workloads and their ability to deliver quality teaching and learning”.

It comes amid analysis from the Labour party which shows areas with low social mobility not only have the most over-crowded classrooms, but have faced the biggest increase in class sizes.

Across Yorkshire and the Humber, there are almost 100,000 pupils in super-sized classes.

Wes Streeting MP, Labour shadow child poverty secretary, said: “Super-sized school classes show that Boris Johnson continues with the Conservative tradition of pulling up the ladder.

“Parents do not want to see their children crammed into super-sized classes and the evidence shows that kids from the poorest backgrounds are hit hardest.”

Across England, 900,672 school pupils in England are now in classrooms of more than 30 pupils - an increase of 153,141 since 2010.

In response to the figures, a DfE spokesperson said: “Schools and education staff have gone above and beyond over the course of the pandemic to make sure every child receives the education they deserve.

“At primary, average class sizes have decreased this year compared with 2019/20 – the majority of primary schools have 27 pupils or less per class. At secondary school class sizes remain stable despite an increase of almost 800,000 pupils in the system since 2010.

“We have also created an additional one million school places between May 2010 and May 2019, the largest increase in school capacity for at least two generations.”

But Cllr Ian Cuthbertson, executive member for children, young people and education at York council, said smaller class sizes were more important than ever amid the backdrop of the pandemic.

He said: “Despite more than a year of disruption, continuous confusion in Government guidance and lack of support, teachers in York continue to do a fantastic job. Yet Conservative cuts to school budgets since 2015 and increasing class sizes have had a major impact on teachers’ workloads and their ability to deliver quality teaching and learning for their pupils.

“Improving our schools through significantly greater support for education is the best way to improve the life chances of York’s children and to be sure that no child is left behind.”

Labour has urged the Government to take up the party’s Children’s Recovery Plan which it says – if adopted by the Government – would deliver catch up support for school pupils. Recommended provisions included small group tutoring, breakfast clubs, activities for every child and mental health support for children in every school.

The party’s analysis found a strong negative correlation between the proportion of children learning in classes of more than 30 and the proportion of disadvantaged children who go on to higher education.

Labour said the data on classroom sizes showed that areas with the most overcrowded classrooms are also the least socially mobile.

The areas with lower social mobility have also seen the biggest increase in class sizes over the last 10 years, Labour said.