DD's reception class is going to be 29

[moodlumthehoodlum]

That seems enormous to me. But is this the norm, or am I being precious?

norm i'm afraid

yes it's the normal, well 30 is the norm if the schoil is oversubscribed.

Normal!

Ask how many teachers/teaching assistants/students/helpers they aim to have each session.

there should be a ratio of one adult to fifteen children iirc. So there should be a classroom assistant at the very least.

The norm is 32 so she's lucky!

we have classes of 30 max.

Norm for sate school. Supposed to be a limit on 30, but schools have ways of getting round this.

At our local state school they are allowed up to 70 across two classes. Not sure how it all works. Does seem a lot though.

Reception and KS1 classes can have a maximum of 30 children in each class with 1 teacher.

The important thing to find out is how much Teaching Assistant time is allocated to the class.

Malory - how can there be 38? Is that Key Stage 2?

the ratio of 15 to each adult only applies while the children are 4 i think, so there is no legal requirement for the teacher to have a TA full time i know i dont

def find this out though as reception only really works properly i there are at least 2 adults all the time

There are 30 in my daughter's reception class.

No, no legal requirement to have TA full time. Good practice to have one though, particularly if there are 30 in the class.

30 in my Ds 's class with 2 t/a's (one on the t/a's is a 1 to 1 SN helper though so should really count as 1 t/a IYKWIM)

OK. So I'm being a little PFB about it then. Its strange though, because the other class in the year seems four or five children smaller, you would think it would be split evenly (altho I know there have been problems splitting them into classes). And better she is with her buddies in the big class than without in the small class.

Thanks all. Will ask re TAs tomorrow (and apply to be one to ease my PFB anxieties )

30 is the norm, and there is no requitement for a TA unless there is a child in need

30 is the norm...and is also usually absolutely fine...not ideal ( probably no number is) but fine, assuming the teacher is good - promise!
And bigger classes can have their advantages - a bigger range of children to make friends with, for one.
Do not panic, moodlum.

Thank you CW - panicking is mostly my approach to the unknown!

By law infant classes (including reception) should have no more than 30 children with 1 teacher unless there are exceptional circumstances. There shouldn't be more than 30 even if there is a full time TA.

In our area 30 is the max for a lone teacher. Over that they have to have a ta.
(Unless there is a special needs child).

At my primary school in the 60's there were 40 in each class. It felt like personal tuition when I got to secondary school and there were 'only' 31!

Flibbertyjibbet by law if the class is more than 30 then there should be two teachers NOT a teacher and a TA.

There will be 34 in my neices reception class!

In the reception class that I work in there are only 15

There is supposed to be a limit of 30 in reception/key stage 1.

normal. there are 30 in ds1's class. When iw as at school my class had 37