Teachers have condemned an advert from the Department for Education on staying safe during the pandemic that references “smaller class sizes”.

The advert from the DfE, posted on Twitter and Facebook, states that, “from smaller class sizes to regular hand washing, schools are applying measures to reduce risks for children and staff.”

Schools are doing as much as they can to protect staff and pupils but I do wish that the Government wouldn’t tell the public that we have ‘smaller class sizes’ because this just isn’t true and it isn’t something they have allowed. https://t.co/mrH2pEc9ml pic.twitter.com/RSvx9X2pop

- Emma Cate (@emmccatt) October 19, 2020

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Primary teacher Emma Cate tweeted in response: “Schools are doing as much as they can to protect staff and pupils but I do wish that the government wouldn’t tell the public that we have ‘smaller class sizes’ because this just isn’t true and it isn’t something they have allowed.”

Teacher Jenny Warren commented that she was teaching classes of up to 34 pupils during the pandemic, while another teacher also said she had a class of 34 Year 7 pupils. 

Classes of 32,33,34. LA still sending more children to us!

- Jenny Warren (@sopranobunny) October 19, 2020

In September, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) report on education found that reducing the spread of Covid-19 in England’s primary classrooms might be more difficult than in other countries owing to larger class sizes. 

And later last month, the NEU teaching union called on the government to focus on reducing class sizes to tackle Covid-19 transmission. 

The DfE has been contacted for comment.