Proposed Variation to Admission Arrangements: Published Admission Number (PAN)

St Ignatius Catholic Primary School is proposing a variation to the school’s admission arrangements for the current 2025-26 academic year.

For the first time, the school’s Published Admission Number (PAN) for Reception admissions from September 2026 has been set at 15 pupils. Historically, the school has operated with a PAN of 20. However, due to local demographic changes and a significant number of surplus school places within the Ossett area, the school has increasingly found it difficult to fill all available places.

As part of this proposal, the school is seeking to reduce the PAN for the current Reception cohort — who will become Year 1 pupils in September 2026 — from 20 to 15. There are currently 15 pupils in Reception and 15 pupils in Year 1, and this change would allow the school to move to a mixed Year 1/2 class of 30 pupils from September 2026.

This structure is consistent with arrangements in many other small primary schools, where mixed-age classes operate successfully with 15 pupils from each year group. The proposal would create a logical and sustainable class organisation model, while avoiding more complex mixed-age structures across different key stages, such as a combined Year 2 and 3 class.

The proposed variation is intended to support the long-term sustainability of the school and ensure that resources can continue to be focused effectively on delivering a high-quality education for all pupils.