What year do you not have to apply for primary school places?

[magichonchon]

DD has just started reception. She's very happy and enjoying but its not our preferred school which is another area, we would need to move eventually. What year are classes not restricted to 30? How does the application process work and what happens if the school was previously oversubscribed?

Hope someone can help. Thanks MN.

There is no legal limit in classes in KS2, ie years 3-6. However each class will have a PAN- a pupil admission number- which they will work hard not to go over! if the class you want is at PAN you can still apply, they would turn you down as they are full and you can then appeal. It is then not a infant class size appeal-as it would be in KS1- but a "prejudice" appeal-ie the prejudice of keeping your child out outweighs the prejudice to the other children of letting them in!
( simplified version of the admissions process!)

So you are thinking of moving into the catchment area of your preferred school and trying to transfer your DD into that school?

I think that class sizes don't have to be restricted to 30 in KS2, so from Year 3 onwards. But each school has a limit for the year group, which tends to be a multiple of 30 anyway (or a multiple of 45 if they have some mixed year classes). IME very few primary schools will have more than 30 in a class.

If the school is oversubscribed, you will find it very hard to get a place, even if you move to the catchment area. I think you will need to contact the LEA and get on the waiting list, then wait until someone in your DD's year leaves the school.

Agree with CustardCake. Just to clarify a little, there are two numbers that matter - class size and PAN (Published Admission Number - the number of children admitted each year). In infants (Reception, Y1 and Y2) class size is limited to 30. I KS2 there is no legal limit to class size. However PAN will not change and will still apply. So even though they are allowed more children in each class t doesn't necessarily mean they can admit extra pupils. If they are already up to PAN they should refuse admission to anyone who applies for a place. However, the parents can appeal against the refusal and the appeal will be easier to win in KS2 than it woud have been in infants.

Thanks all for the clarification, I'm very grateful and appreciate your advice and knowledge.