In year admissions query

[EarthboundMisfit]

My DS is in Y1. His school has a two class intake, normally totalling 60. There was some kind of appeal based on siblings when he started Reception, ending in one class of 32 and another of 33. In Reception, this was fine as there was extra staff provision, but in Y1 there are fewer regular staff and it's always felt a bit fraught.
In the last 8 weeks, 5 children have left due to moving away. Things are so much calmer. There is now one class of 31 and one class of 29.

My DS mentioned today that there will be a new child starting in his class (of 29) on Monday and that she came to say hi today. I was a bit surprised. Can anyone tell me please if the school will be allowed to go above 30 and 31 and fill all the places left, or of that's likely to be it now?

Thanks for any input.

They shouldn't go over 30 unless any appeals are allowed. They can though for KS2 go over 30. My Dd had 34 in her class for 2 years.

30 is the maximum in KS1; the others would have been what are called "excepted" children by virtue of winning an appeal. They don't permanently expand the class; as children leave, the numbers need to get below 30 for children to be accepted from the waiting list, and can only go up to 30 from the list.

The only way to take the classes above 30 again would be for someone to win another appeal (or for the school to be forced to take another child under the fair access protocol, which isn't common). I would imagine this new child is from the waiting list, which takes the class to its legal maximum of 30, where it will stay unless someone wins an appeal.

In KS2, classes are also supposed to be 30, but its easier to win an appeal as the class size regulations (making 30 the legal maximum) don't apply.