The impact that a class size has on the quality and effectiveness of teaching is to be examined, an education expert has revealed.

Peter Blatchford, professor of psychology and education at University College London’s Institute of Education, said that researchers from all over the world are to look into this highly topical area and work out how teachers can best manage small and large classes.

The project, which is being funded by the Leverhulme Trust, is orientating the study on what professor Blatchford says is the “third generation” of class size research, which “addresses the neglected topic of effective pedagogies in different sizes of class”.

Previous investigations, he argues, have been too basic, with explorations into class size and attainment levels failing to account for the “pedagogical effects” that clusters of pupils in classrooms has on their experience of education.

“I think the most important educational questions are about how to adapt teaching to make the most of having fewer (or more) pupils in a class,” he wrote in UCL blog.

“It amazes me that there is next to no research which evaluates the benefits of class size changes along with specified changes to teaching, for example, the introduction of collaborative group work, which might well benefit from smaller classes.”

The size of classes in schools remains a highly topical and political issue, with Labour leader Ed Miliband stating recently that if elected prime minister at the General Election he would, in addition to other things, limit infant class sizes to 30 pupils.

Other notable individuals referencing this matter lately include Andreas Schleicher, director of education and skills at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

In an article debunking “seven big myths about top-performing schools”, which was posted on the BBC’s website, he said that Pisa results show no relationship between class size and learning outcomes.

“More interestingly, the highest performing education systems in Pisa tend to systematically prioritise the quality of teachers over the size of classes,” he wrote.

“Wherever they have to make a choice between a smaller class and a better teacher, they go for the latter. Rather than putting money into small classes, they invest in competitive teacher salaries, ongoing professional development and a balance in working time.”