Consultation on a proposed reduction in the published admission numbers (PAN)
Extend Learning Academies Network are consulting on our proposed admission arrangements for the 2027-28 school year. The consultation relates to the proposed reduction in the Pupil Admission Number (PAN) for Milton Park Primary School from September 2027 - further details and a copy of the arrangements are below.
Comments are not being sought on the rest of the arrangements.
Consultation on a proposed reduction in the published admission numbers (PAN) for Milton Park Primary School with effect from September 2027
The current published admission number (PAN) for Milton Park Primary School is 60. This means the number of children admitted into reception each year is a maximum of 60.
Extend Learning Academies Network have asked the Local Authority to consider a reduction in the PAN for Milton Park Primary School. With the agreement of both organisations, there is a proposed change to reduce the admission number from 60 to 45 places in reception from September 2027. This means that from September 2027 onwards there will be 45 places for pupils entering the school in the reception age-range.
Rationale
The predicted numbers, calculated by North Somerset Council, of reception children currently in the school’s catchment area has been falling. Nationally, birth rates are also falling. The current reception intake for this academic year was 30 and is predicted to be an average of 38 for the following 3 years.
Reducing the PAN to 45 will allow the school to plan ahead with more certainty both in terms of staffing levels and the school budget while at the same time ensuring, as far as possible, that all pupils in the Milton Park and wider school area can be offered a school place at their local school. This has always been in the forefront of Milton Park and the academy trust board’s thinking.
Keeping a PAN of 60 leaves the school open to potentially having to take a small number of children over infant class limits causing uneconomic class sizes. It is a legal requirement that reception year and Key Stage 1 class sizes have no more than 30 pupils per qualified teacher.
The Admissions Authority will retain some discretion in Key Stage 2 regarding class sizes and in-year additional admissions. The school and Local Authority will regularly review potential admission numbers, future growth trends and other indicators. Where applications regularly exceed, or are predicted to exceed PAN the school will consider increasing the number admitted.
How to respond
The consultation opened on 10 December 2025 and will run until 30 January 2026.
You are invited to submit comments to the consultation. You may submit responses in writing to:
Extend Learning Academies Network (ELAN), 13 Lime Close, Locking, Weston-super-Mare BS24 8BH
Or alternatively you can email comments to: office@extendlearning.org
Following the consultation period, the academy trust board will consider all comments received in determining the admission arrangements for 2027-28 and make a decision by 28 February 2026. The final arrangements will be published on the websites for Milton Park Primary School and ELAN by the 15 March 2026.
You can either download the document or view below.
ELAN_Proposed_Admission_Arrangements_2027-28_Draft_V0_2_1_for_consultation.pdf
