To pull DD if the class is above 30 pupils?

[unicormb]

DD is down to go to the local primary v close to our home, when we visited before the summer we were told that this reception intake was a low birth year, and that as such there would be two smaller classes of 20 pupils, where there would normally be two classes of 30. This was painted to us as a good thing, and obviously it would be... if it were true.

All the paperwork came through at the end of term and it turns out there is only going to be one reception class after all. As an ex teacher my gut is telling me that due to budgeting they've decided to stick 40 kids in one class with one teacher and an extra TA, rather than splitting across two.

I don't want my child in a class with 40 other kids, especially for her very first year of school. 30/31 I accept as the norm, but over that I think it will be very very busy and confusing for her, she only just turned 4.

Apparently the teacher is ringing me this coming week (instead of home visit) WIBU to enquire on class numbers and de-register DD if they are intending to do as I feared? DD is summer born and I could have them home with me while we wait for a better placement to come up.

Should add, am aware of the statutory requirement for classes to be 30 pupils max, but think they may wriggle out of this by having nursery staff there. Also, they told me that 40 kids were joining.

I think legally KS1 classes can't be above 30? (Infant class size limit).

Or they may have a combined R/y1 class ? It is unlikely to be 40.

Before the summer I hear that many of our local primaries have the same problems. I was wondering how they can afford two classes. I think if you pull DD you are likely to hit the same at a different primary unless it’s private.

No, I have the paperwork here. It says 'Teacher is...' and 'supported by...' with the TAs names. One teacher. One year group.

Its not allowed to have a reception class over 30, so there’s no way it’ll be over 30. It sounds like they had less than 30 kids take up places in the end so they didn’t need to make two classes.

I could enquire around though and decide myself, rather than being told one thing and have another thing then happen.

This is what I am really hoping.

They’re not allowed* is probably more grammatically correct (very tired)

Maybe your DD is in a standalone YR class and then there maybe a mixed YR/Y1 class

But that doesn't mean there's only one class. If there's two classes there will be a different letter sent to each class.

I think you can be pretty confident, it’s not just guidance that it has to be 30 or under it’s the law. KS2 and above they can go over 30 in special circumstances but not in early years/KS1

That mean your child’s class is just reception but maybe 10 of the older children will be in a split R/yr1 class. My child’s school have done this. One main reception class then one split class.

Exactly. There may be more than one R class with separate letters sent, or one R class and a combined class with y1.

@Connie2468 I know it's only one class now because the headteacher said 'We have one class this year' a few weeks after I had visited and they had said 'we will have two smaller classes this year'.

YANBU to ask and then make a decision, but I don't think there will be a class with 40 kids.

No @LIZS one thing am absolutely confident is that there's only one class, I just don't know their numbers. And I was led to believe 40 kids had taken up places so you can see why I'm confused. I definitely intend to ask the teacher next week.

As others have said, they can not legally have more than 30 children in a reception class. So I don't know why you have assumed there would be 40? They probably only had 30 kids want a space so they have decided to have one class of 30 (or less).

I think the only way you are allowed 31 is if the 30th kid is a twin and their sibling is added; there may also be some provision for a child in care, but that's not covering an extra nine kids.

Actually I have heard similar about the primary school my kids went to, we’ve moved so no longer in the area but have friends still there and they mentioned that reception this year will be 37 and that they can apparently get away with it by having extra support staff in the classroom at all times

one thing am absolutely confident is that there's only one class

But you know there can't only be one class if there are 40 reception pupils. As other posters have said there might be one reception class, and one mixed reception / yr1. But there definitely isn't a class of 40 reception aged pupils.

Lots of schools have combined EYFS units which have free flow provision for all of reception and nursery but they split into smaller groups for carpet time and phonics and adult directed activities to keep them within the 30 child limit.

Infant class size legislation (law not optional) is that 30 pupils for 1 qualified teacher in KS1- not sure how they would get pass that??

I went to primary school in the 1960s/early 70s and came across my old school reports a few years ago, I was shocked to see my class had 41 children (and no TA). It wasn’t detrimental at all but in those days the form teacher ruled the roost.

I’m sure it’ll just be one class of 30 (or less) children. They’d planned for 2 classes of 20, it’s not like they hadn’t worked out the numbers.