CLASS sizes at Chorley infant schools have dropped dramatically.

There are now 30 children or less in local primary school classes (five to seven-year-olds), according to figures released by the Department for Education and Employment.

But reducing class sizes has not been without its worries for some schools.

Elizabeth Dodd, deputy head of Adlington CP, in Park Road, said: "We have had to re-arrange our classes in line with falling class sizes as the Government has decided."

She said previously children of different key stages were in classes together. "Now we have a reception class just for years one and two, so no infant is in a class of over 30."

And at St George's CE, Carr Lane, Chorley, the move has been well received, although funding for the changes is a worry.

Head teacher Margaret Ainsworth said: "I think it's a very positive move. We moved to four classes from three, and it's obviously much better for a child to be in a much smaller class.

"We have had some help to fund the extra teacher and we have got a lovely new classroom built with money from the DfEE. I just worry about the funding for the future."

She added: "Parents were a little bit worried at the beginning as some of the classes had to become mixed ages, but this is our second year of doing it now and it's been a success."

The previous count had 17,319 children in large classes across Lancashire, this time only two classes in the county had more than 30 pupils. Nationally, 30,000 children are in infant classes of more than 30.

The Government's aim was to get numbers below 50,000 by September this year.

County councillor John Fillis, deputy chairman of Lancashire County Council's education and cultural services committee, said: "This massive drop comes as no surprise to us.

"We have been working extremely hard with schools over the last couple of years to ensure these reductions in class sizes.

"We are determined to ensure all infant children are taught in classes of 30 or under and are on target to achieve this well within the time limits set by the Government."