MORE than 15,000 primary children are in classes of more than 30 in Lancashire County Council schools, Labour claimed today.

Shadow Schools Minister Mike Kane released a new party analysis which said more than 92,000 children are now crammed into oversize classes in the North-West.

He blamed seven years of underfunding by Conservative-led governments.

Lancashire County Council’s new Tory school boss Susie Charles blamed four years of Labour control of County Hall

The authority provides education in 12 boroughs including Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Ribble Valley, and Rossendale.

The Labour survey reveals:

* in the Lancashire County Council area, 15,365 children are in classes of more than 30, and 1,227 of those in classes of 37 or more;

* mounting pressure on school places is starting to hit secondaries, with an increase in very large classes in the last year; and

* the North-West has more than 92,000 primary pupils are in classes of more than 30.

Mr Kane said: “These figures expose seven years of Tory failure. The number of pupils being taught in super-sized classes is sky-rocketing while schools face the first real-terms cuts to their budgets in a generation.

“This situation is unsustainable. If the Tories wanted to give every child the education they deserve they would ensure they were not crammed into super-sized classes.

“A Labour Government would ensure schools are built where they are needed, and cap primary class sizes at 30.”

Cllr Charles said: “I shall be investigating these figures. However I fail to see what this is to do with the government. It is more to do with four years of Labour running the county council.”

Blackburn with Darwen council education boss Dave Harling said: “I don’t believe we have many primary school classes of more than 30 in the borough.”

He added:”It is increasingly difficult for local education authorities to keep class sizes down in the current financial climate.”

The Labour analysis says across the UK, 542,679 primary school children are now in super-size classes in primary school while the number of infant school children (between five and seven) in classes over 30 has almost trebled since 2010.