Maximum number of children in a Primary school class

[GeoPuzzles]

hi
is there a maximum number of children that should be in a primray school class (state school I should say)?
and if that is exceeded should there be additional teaching staff?
thanks

tiggytape Please could you let me know the link/info about the change to the excepted child regulations - ie that they stay excepted into the next year.

We had 2 children into YR on appeal last year - taking us to 32 for Yr1 and the potential mess of Yr1/Yr2/Yr3 mixed classes is looking like a nightmare. If they stay Excepted then that could solve a lot of trouble (School Governor here)

It's para 2.15 of the school admissions code 2014.

Thank you

With school budgets as they are, any school working on a 1:20 ratio of teacher:pupils will find that very expensive and probably not sustainable. Classes of 31 will just continue. My child was in a double YR class of 66 a few years ago - two teachers. One large hen and chickens classroom. It worked well.

that they stay excepted into the next year

Norkmonster has given the correct reference. They remain excepted as long as they are in an infant class UNLESS the number in the class falls to 30. So in your case these children remain excepted until 2 pupils leave their year.

If your child has a statement of special needs or an EHCP plan then you can name the school you want and within reason (usually financial) the LA will allow you to go to that school.
The normal limit for classes in infants is 30 but there are exceptions and one of those is a pupil joining with a statement. They are then considered an excepted pupil and they will be admitted as a 31st pupil. There is no time limit now to how long the class can remain at 31.
However reading between the lines I suspect that your child has SEND but not a statement. As such you would not get a place at the school in year 1 and if you went to appeal as an infant class size case you would lose unless you could prove the admission authority made a mistake which is unlikely. The same situation would apply when they move into year 2, only when they move into year 3 could you appeal and have any real hope of getting a place at the school.

Sorry to jump in, but I'm intrigued that my DC's class had 28 at start of YR. Half way thru Y1 they are now at 32. The most recent 2 children only moved to the area (seperately, not twins!)in the last 6 months so it isn't that they lost out due to incorrect allocation of YR places. Does this mean that children 31 & 32 must both have had statements naming the school to get a place? Does the school get any leeway to admit over 30 itself? Thanks!

Not necessarily. They must be excepted but that does not necessarily mean they have statements. They could be looked after or previously looked after children, children of UK service personnel or it could be that there are no schools with places available within a reasonable distance from home. There are also four other categories of excepted children but it is unlikely any of them apply to these children.

A school has no leeway legally. They cannot choose to admit over 30 into a class with a single teacher unless some of the children are excepted. If they go over the limit they are breaking the law.