The charts illustrate the proportion of classes of four different sizes in four Australian states in 2003.
Overall, it is clear that classes with more than 30 students were the least common across the board. While the majority of classes in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and Western Australia accommodated between 21 and 25 students, the typical class size in New South Wales (NSW) was no more than 20 students, and that in South Australia had 26 to 30 students.
Class sizes in ACT and Western Australia displayed a high degree of congruity/similarity. More than half of classes in the former, and 43% of those in the latter, had between 21 and 25 learners, the highest figure in each location. Meanwhile, 29% of classes in Western Australia accommodated 26 to 30 students, 2% higher than the figure for the ACT. A slightly wider disparity was seen in the percentage of classes hosting fewer than 20 students (25% for Western Australia versus 20% for ACT). However, it was rare for classes to have more than 30 students in both areas, as the figures stood at no more than 3%.
While the largest class size continued to be unpopular in New South Wales and South Australia, constituting 3% of the classes in both areas, these two regions had different patterns. In New South Wales, the most popular class size was for no more than 20 students, at 40%, while the same size only accounted for 30% of classes in South Australia. By contrast, most classes in South Australia had 26 to 30 students, at 44%, 17% higher than their counterparts in NSW. Finally, 30% and 23% of classes in South Australia and New South Wales had between 21 and 25 learners.