Now, not only is that bad in terms of people then not getting services and being less safe, or kids not -- having a larger class sizes or all those things, but obviously when those people lose their jobs they can't spend money buying a new car or buying clothes or buying the computer for their kids.

WHITEHOUSE: Town Hall Meeting on the Economy

"It is likely that the government will go into the next election having presided over an increase in secondary school class sizes during a period when the government's top priority has been education, " said the general secretary, John Dunford.

BBC: Fall in infant class sizes