The government has shifted its position on class sizes and is considering lowering the legal maximum of 30 for P1.

The move has been prompted by the decisions of two councils, East Renfrewshire and East Dunbartonshire, to ignore the 25 limit set out in guidance issued by the previous Scottish Executive and allow up to 30 children in P1.

The councils argue that under regulations issued in 1999 the legal maximum is 30. They say they cannot, therefore, resist parental requests for places, despite the government target to have no more than 18 pupils in P1-3 classes.

Ministers have been under growing pressure to make their guidance on maximum class sizes legally binding following successful challenges last year in both East and West Lothian by parents seeking places that breached the 25-pupil limit.

At that time, the Government said it had no plans to review its legislation. But last week it said it was looking at the option. eb.