By Steve Bargeton, political editor

THE SCOTTISH Government’s flagship education policy of cutting class sizes could cost more than half a billion pounds in the lifetime of this parliament—more than 10 times the amount allocated so far.

The SNP has pledged to cut class sizes for primaries one to three to 18.

Yesterday in a submission to MSPs the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland estimated that £360 million would be required for additional classrooms.

A further £62 million a year would be needed to employ more teachers.

Initially ministers earmarked £40 million to kick start the policy.

Education secretary Fiona Hyslop insisted yesterday that there was money to reduce class sizes.

But the Scottish Tories said the policy was in disarray and accused the education secretary of “seriously flawed arithmetic”.

Ms Hyslop said there was scope within the settlement between the Government and Scotland’s 32 local authorities to cut class sizes.

“We gave local government one of the biggest settlements that they have received and we certainly made sure there is enough capital in there to enable school buildings, including classrooms, for class size reductions,” she said.

“There is capacity and there is resourcing if you look at the local government settlement, as approved by COSLA as part of the concordat, to deliver on this.

“I’m delighted across the country that local authorities are already proposing plans for this year to cut class sizes for P1 to P3 to 18, particularly for the most deprived areas, where the research shows that will have the biggest impact.”

In evidence to MSPs yesterday the president of the Headteachers’ Association of Scotland, Brian Cooklin, was lukewarm about the prospects of bringing in the policy.

“I haven’t known a policy in 30-odd years of teaching that actually has been matched by resources universally throughout the country,” he said.

Murdo Maciver of the Association of Directors of Education said, “In the context we’re in now, there are always competing claims on resources, authorities are under pressure to improve the school estate.”

Last night Scottish Tory schools spokesman Liz Smith called on Ms Hyslop to “apologise unreservedly” for raising false expectations that class sizes would be cut.

“This just proves what many of us have been saying all along,” said the Mid Scotland and Fife MSP.

“The SNP initially told us that an additional £40 million would be set aside for local authorities to pursue the policy of class sizes of 18 pupils in primaries one to three.

“The Scottish Government has made a huge miscalculation and should apologise unreservedly to all parents, pupils and teachers for raising expectations to a level which they will never be able to fulfil.

“There is, by no means, always a direct correlation between lower class sizes and better attainment.

“Therefore the Cabinet Secretary must now accept that she has made a serious error of judgment—to say nothing of her seriously flawed arithmetic.”