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Tristram Hunt: Labour to bring end to free schools and tackle crowded classrooms

Shadow education secretary to commit to releasing children's education from the grip of Govism as class size reaches 78 in two schools

Tristram Hunt will today commit Labour to closing the Con-Dem’s flagship free-school scheme amid England’s classroom overcrowding crisis.

Labour research has revealed that in six schools children are being taught in classes of 70. 

At two academies, Crescent Academy in Stoke and Southey Green primary in Sheffield, just one teacher is tasked with the care of 78 pupils. 

Four more schools cram over seventy kids in classes, another 30 schools attempt to teach 60 at a time and a stunning 91 primary schools pack 50 or more into lessons. 

Mr Hunt blames the chaos on the Con-Dem’s free-school experiment in his biggest break with coalition education policy. 

“Labour will end the free-schools programme and instead focus spending on areas in need of extra school places,” he will say in his speech. 

“By diverting resources away from areas in desperate need of more primary school places in favour of pursuing his pet project of expensive free schools in areas where there is no shortage of places, David Cameron has created classes of more than 40, 50, 60 and even 70 pupils.”

There are now more than 330 free schools in England after the first were opened in September 2011. 

A shocking 93,000 infants are now being taught in super-sized classes of 30 or more — a 200 per cent rise since the Con-Dems took power. 

Labour warned that one in four infants will be lumped into the larger classes by 2020 if current trends continue. 

The party’s evidence stands in stark contrast to Tory promises made to parents before the last general election. 

“Smaller schools with smaller class sizes with teachers who know the children’s names,” were pledged in the Tory manifesto. 

Tory education policy also came under fire this weekend after a whistleblower revealed academy leaders were tipped-off about Ofsted inspections. 

Three Norfolk schools run by Tory favourite “superhead” Dame Rachel de Souza were given advance warning of visits, the Observer reported. 

One school used the time to draft in extra teachers — and was rewarded an “outstanding” rating.

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