Are there really 30 pupils in a reception class?

[Serenjen]

I know this sounds dim. Our school is taking in 60 reception children. I mentioned to my mum that it means 30 children per class. So then we thought, isn't 30 four and five year olds in the same class a hell of alot for one teacher? I know they have classroom assistants, but how in the world can one teacher actually teach this many little ones?

welcome to the world of school

err yes, that is the max per class. 30

In KS1/foundation there is a max space per child to square footage too.

If you want less than 30 go private.

You are quite right - not much teaching goes on, IME! My DD is in a class of 30 in France, with no TA, and quite honestly the pace of learning is abysmally slow. We do lots of extra outside school in order for her to make progress. Sometimes I think that school is just a way of testing the children to see whether the parents are teaching them anything.

FWIW the time when the teacher is actually adressing the whle 30 is hardly any. Its mainly learning through play inside and out. Same as nursery, just they are wearing uniform

bonsoir what do you expect a 4 year old to be learning?

yes and a classroom assistant isn't a statutory requirement- just 1 teacher to 30 little people

Letters, numbers, drawing etc. Since her progress in these things is marked on her report, it would be nice if the teacher could teach them to her, rather than expecting parents to do so...

What cyb says - there will be a TA as well, most of the learning is through play and it usually works well. I had the same reaction as you when my oldest started school, but I think you'll be pleasantly suprised at how much does get learnt.

yes and it does work and learning does go on. At our school there is free flow between the two classes and lots of use of outside space. It is great and both my school age children have had huge fun in reception. The teacher and TA have great control over what goes on whilst still being warm and lovely.

Bonsoir is your child in an English school in France or a French school?

Yep, pretty normal. 29 children in my son's reception class. They have two assistants (one FT, one PT) and a PT learning mentor and it is still hardgoing (for the staff and the children).

In my honest opinion, the standard/quality of education is limited by large class sizes. Can you imagine being one of two or at best three adults in charge of 30 kids, all with varying degrees of ability, some with special needs or limited understanding of English?

There are quite a few reception classes without TA support judging by responses on the TES site and with budget cuts I can see it becoming more common to have a single adult to 30 children ...

So the adult to child ratio doesn't need to be kept in school then? Does this only apply to nurseries and out of school care?

Seems a bit strange to me.

Ah yes, I had a look at a couple of private schools near me. First I thought the fees weren't too bad, then realised that was per term, not per year...

some years ago now, but my mum's biggest class was 36 mixed rec/yr1, and she had a TA for 1/2 day a week.
she fully admits that it was a year of crowd control.

half a day, not 1 to 2 days

The bursar of my DD's school told me that the rule of 30 children per infant (4-8 yo)class and is strictly adhered to, but is relaxed a bit when they proceed to junior school.

The school my daughter attends has a TA for each reception class and parents who come in to help the children with their reading...

The other option for us would be to dig deep, pay over £8,000 after tax per year so that the private equivalnet would be 15 or 20 children to 1 teacher ...

Serenjen the adult child ratio for a reception class is 1 qualified teacher to 30 pupils so the school is keeping it.

Children in reception classes in maintained schools
11 The EYFS does not place ratio and qualification requirements on reception classes in maintained
schools provided they fall within the legal definition of an infant class (i.e. a class containing
pupils the majority of whom will reach the age of five, six, or seven during the course of the
school year)

1. Such classes are already subject to infant class size legislation: an infant class

must not contain more than 30 pupils while an ordinary teaching session is conducted by a single school teacher

1. See page 17 of the Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation

Stage booklet for further information.

There were 30 children when my dc were in reception, but there were two TA's. I know a TA is not the same as a qualified teacher, but a good teacher can delegate tasks.

I thought a ratio of 1:10 was quite good.

My ideal class size for reception would be low 20s with a teacher and TA (speaking as a teacher)

hello yes that's right, 30 in a class.

Actually at our school the intake is 80 which often translates to about 27-28 in a class.

DS2 is lucky enough to be in a small year - his class in reception was just 22 and even now in yr 2 there are only 25 in a class. You can tell, everyone agrees it's a lovely year and I am sure the smaller numbers have made a difference.

@ Bonsoir tho - I help (in the UK) in a reception class and have also worked as a reception TA and a great deal of learning goes on, thanks.

mrz - a French school that is sous contrat but that is private and bilingual ie 1/4 of the day is in English (in streamed classes that are smaller than the French classes).

We're very lucky here. Maximum intake is 40 with two classes, so kids are in a class of 20 or less in reception. Some years (like this one) are undersubscribed, so there will be about 17 or 18 per class.

I think the Year 1 teacher would have something to say if Reception children were not taught anything!

Children come into our reception class and are taught to share and co-operate, to take turns, to listen and respond, to use their imagination and creativity, to develop their social skills, to sit still and concentrate, to be thoughtful and considerate-not skills they all have when they start! We also manage to teach them how to read, write, add, subtract and a few other things too!

Bonsoir,
you should move to the country. We're rural in France and my 3 kids have 17, 19 and 15 in their classes. The biggest class in the school has about 25. Lots and lots of learning goes on. Of course there are teaching posts being cut all around us so we'll take in a few extra pupils next year I'd say.

My DSS2 had little classes like that in Neuilly-sur-Seine in a state primary. I wasn't particularly impressed by the amount of learning going on there, either!