More than 30 children in reception class - is this legal?

[13lucky]

I believe there are 32 children in my dd's reception class - I seem to be the only parent to have realised this and I thought the limit was 30 children. 30 sounds way too many at the best of times let alone 32.

I don't want to get myself off on the wrong foot with the teacher (all the parents are scared stiff of her as it is) and so not sure what, if anything, to do about this?

Anyone any advice?

Many thanks.

It is a difficult area when there are more than 30 in the class because there are so many legal and illegal ways for this to have happened. You need to have all the details to know for certain.
As a reception year the most likely is a successful appeal, when they would be excepted pupils as PRH has said.
If this is still bothering you then go in and ask the headteacher how the class had 32 in it when the ICS Regs says it should only have 30. Hopefully you will get a sensible reply about admission appeals or SEN statemented pupils. If the answer is not concise and sensible then I would suspect that the school is trying to get away with something. Check the Admission Number - you say there are two classes, so it should be 60 but is actually something really stupid like 64?

There are definitely 32 children in the class - I saw a list of groups they are in and counted the names and there were definitely 32. The other class, I'm fairly sure has 30 children. I haven't said anything to the teacher yet as I want to go the right way about it. But I do think it is particularly unfair if one class has 30 and the other 32 - why haven't they split the classes evenly? Thanks for your replies.

You may find that the class teacher with 'only' 30 dc in the class may well be less experienced than the teacher your child has. Where the more experienced teacher is more able to deal/cope effectively with 2 dc 'over' 30, and the other one may be an NQT or less experienced, and even one over 30 may cause headaches there. IME I'd rather have my dc in the class with an exerienced teacher, and 1/2 'extras' than with an NQT.

The other teacher isn't an NQT - she's been there a number of years and always taught a reception class. But yes, I see what you're saying.

Then it is time to go and ask the headteacher what the situation is. Don't bother with the teacher as they will only be doing what they have been told to do!