Class size appeals - from the other side

[PurpleHeffalump]

Have seen LOTS of class size appeals threads here and just wanted to give another perspective (I understand that having children in two different schools must be horrendous, so am not giving a point of view - just the facts from a school's position)
One-form entry school:
Year 1 ? 3 appeals have gone through ? the only argument was siblings. One was an only child ? only argument was that our school was more convenient. The year one teacher has had to remove her role-play area to physically fit all children into the class (very sad for the children?s development). We are in a Victorian building with very small rooms.
Reception for next year ? 3 appeals gone through (again, purely on siblings ? no idea why lots of you guys are having to argue admin mistakes!) . So class size stands at 33 to start in September. As a school we are looking into how we legally staff this as a Reception teacher can only have 30 children ? it will probably mean taking a TA away from an older year group as we can?t afford another TA?s wages on the money we receive for just 3 additional children. Plus, not even sure that this is legal, as it doesn?t count as a ?teacher?. Two children are coming from nursery who currently receive one-one support but we are unable to access this funding until they have started in reception and been accessed ? only then will we be able to apply to provide them with additional adults. It is so sad to think of this class?s start in Primary school. One teacher and 33 children, two of whom are only coping in nursery with one-one support. Oh and 3 more Reception place appeals happening this week ? so if they?ve already put through 3 children, we don?t see why they won?t agree to a class size of 36.

[admission]

Sorry, but this simply should not be happening. If you are a 1 form entry school and the PAN is really 30 then there is no way that these pupils should have been admitted. They can only be admitted under the ICS Regs if mistakes have been made in the admission arrangements. Your post does not suggest this is the case.

Assuming you are part of the staff at the school then you need to understand that with 33 in the reception class and 33 in the year 1 class you do not need one teacher more, you need 2 teachers more and definitely not TAs.

I can only say to you that the school needs to take real action to stop this if it is true. They should be complaining bitterly to the LA that the panel is making fundamental mistakes and they need training and the legal back up whoever they are just needs shooting because this is so basic. I would be asking the LA to fund the extra staff because of the incompetence surounding the appeal panels - the LA has responsibility for training them.

However I do wonder whether there is a more realistic and obvious explanation. Do you actually have a PAN of 35 or something and as a school you have simply not been admitting above 30? In those circumstances a panel is bound to admit.

[prh47bridge]

Agree with Admission.

The rule is no more than 30 children in a class with a single teacher. TAs don't oount. Children admitted via appeals are "excepted children" for the first year so they don't count towards the class size limit. However, if the class is still over size the next year the school has to have an additional teacher or it is breaking the law.

The only way the appeal panel should be admitting any children in a class size case is if a mistake has been made (unless, as Admission speculates, the school has not admitted up to PAN). The only way a siblings argument flies in an ICS case is if the admission criteria prioritise siblings but priority is not actually being given. There is absolutely no way the only child should have been admitted on the information you have posted. As Admission says, if the panel is admitting children when there hasn't been a mistake you need to complain to the LA. Panels do occasionally make mistakes but they shouldn't be making this many.