Do they have to offer a place?

[Huff]

I have applied through School Admissions to change my daughters primary school. The PAN for the new school is 45 for each year group and the class currently has 34 pupils (Year 5). Does anyone know if this means she will be accepted or are there other factors that are used as well - such as size of class/classroom.

Many thanks

Huff

[prh47bridge]

The PAN is the total number of pupils admitted, not the size of an individual class. If there is also a mixed class with some Y5 children (e.g. Y5/6) and the total number of children in Y5 is 45 or more they do not have to admit your daughter. If this is the only class with Y5 children in it they would usually be expected to admit your daughter, although they can argue that the situation has changed since the PAN was set and that they therefore don't have to admit her. If they refuse admission you will be able to appeal.

[Huff]

Hi, thanks,

Last year the classes were spilt between two year 3/4 classes but this year the school office told me that they are having just one year 5 class.

As far as I know all the year groups have a PAN of 45 including this new intake but usually they don't ever have that many. Although last years Year 6 were a group of 45 (I don't know how they spilt the classes).

Do you think I could appeal - if rejected - on that basis??

Thank you

[admission]

Yes you can certainly appeal that the year group has not reached PAN and that one more in the class would not be a problem. Any appeal would then in effect be for the admission appeal panel to decide whether increasing the class size from 34 to 35 is acceptable.
I suspect that most LAs would not dare to go to an admission appeal on this basis but then funny things happen.

[Huff]

Ok, thanks - that's great.

We should find out by 16th September so I'll let you all know how we get on.

Thanks again

Huff