Britain's biggest teaching union is calling for legislation to restrict the size of nursery classes.

A survey by the National Union of Teachers has found that a quarter of nursery school classes are too big.

Headteacher Judith Elderkin, talking to the BBC, gives her response to the survey (2"56')

It says more than half of nursery school teachers are looking after up to 85 children - more than six times the recommended ratio.

The NUT wants to see more generous staffing levels, of two adults, one of whom must be a qualified teacher, to 20 pupils.

The Government says pupil-teacher ratios will be reviewed

The Department of Education says its own inspectors found only 4% of nursery schools have staff shortages and that the rules on adult to child ratios are being reviewed.

John Bangs, the NUT's Head of Education, said: "The effect of not being able to meet individual pupils' needs is one that can have quite bad consequences on individual children.

"There is lots of research from the United States which says that if pupils under the age of five do well then, they are likely to do very well later in life.

"We have conducted some research with Leicester University which shows that class size does have a considerable impact on pupil achievement."

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