how do I find out how many children a school takes per year?

[deaconblue]

I've been googling the school's name and the term Published Admissions Number or PAN but can't seem to find out how many children the school we prefer for ds take every year

Try the county web site; Surrey, for example, publish them all on there.

It is "Pupil Admission Number" as far as I know. Try googling that.

If it doesn't help, phone the LEA admissions department and they will be able to tell you.

Phone them. Ask anyone with a child at the school, or even just how many classes for how many years?
Failing that, Don't the KS2 SAT tables say how many children take the SATs each year (no results published if fewer than a certain number), so you can see what the typical intake is that way?

No point phoning them alardi - no-one will be there until either the end of August, or beginning of sept.

Also, the number of children taking SATS may be well below the number of children that the school is actually able to take (I work in a school in this position).

Not trying to rubbish your suggestions alardi - I'd been through the same thought processes myself.