Statement regarding the consultation on Pupil Admission Numbers (PAN)

Statement regarding the consultation Pupil Admission Numbers (PAN)

St Mary’s Catholic Primary School

A Voluntary Aided School in the Diocese of Portsmouth.

Dear Parents and Staff,

As you are all aware, during January and February you were invited to respond to the St Mary’s Catholic Primary School Admissions consultation which was related to the proposed reduction of the School’s Pupil Admission Number [PAN]. The consultation proposal was to reduce the existing, PAN from 40 to 30, with effect from September 2019.

Following the consultation period, St Mary’s Catholic Primary has considered all responses and the decision has been made to approve the proposal and reduce the PAN to 30 (for Foundation Stage intake September 2019). The following information has been offered as explanation for this decision:

Following the end of the consultation, all responses were considered. Ten responses were received, five responses from parents and five from staff. All parental responses were overwhelmingly in favour of reducing the PAN. The main reasons given were that it would enable children to have the same curriculum experience and learn with peers of the same age throughout their time at school.

Of the staff responses received, three were also overwhelmingly in favour for the same reasons as above and because it will enable teachers to plan more effectively for age related expectations.

We have given careful consideration to the concerns raised, however in light of the Local Authority and Diocese fully supporting a reduction in the PAN, it is felt that the challenges facing the school in the future would be far greater should numbers remain the same.

If you have any questions in relation to the information in this letter, please email them to the Chair of Governors, using the email tweedcarmen01@gmail.com

The Governors will then address these in future letters, or individually with parents if that is appropriate.

Once again thank you for your support.

Yours sincerely,

Penny Sherborne

(Headteacher)