How Many In Your Reception Class?

[Guest]

I will be moving into FS2 in September after working in FS1 for my NQT year. How many children will you have in your class in September and how many will you teach at a time? I will have 35 children (due to appeals.) Staff wise there is me and a level two TA. I will be doing my teaching to the full class and I am worrying because it is such a large group with 75% of the children being EAL. How do you organise large classes of reception children when it comes to teaching? Any help appreciated, thanks. :1b

 

 

Edit: My school is a one form entry with one teacher per year group.

Edited August 21, 2012 by Guest

[Guest]

Hi - I will have 30 in my class from September - many of them will have SEN of some sort - I will also have full-time TA. I thought maximum number for Receptions classes was 30 - believe there are exceptions additional teacher/level 3 support or something. Sorry can't be of more help!

[Guest]

I think it's statutory not to have more than 30 children to one teacher!

 

I believe 35 children with you and a level 2 TA is not appropriate staffing levels! I think it would be a problem if Ofsted came in!

 

I think you will need another teacher in there!

[Madmum]

I am sure you can only have 30 maximum. We were over our number due to appeals so it's been split into 2 classes wiht a teacher each and a full time TA between the 2 and other TA hours as well.

I am sure Ofsted will question this!

[catma]

It can go over 30 if they are admitted on appeal. Reception is governed by infant class size legislation. however the extra admitted children if admitted under the exceptions will remain in exception to the 30 until the folowing academic year, when the school will have to make arrangements to have groups of less than 30.

See the document managing compliance on dfe web http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/adminandfinance/schooladmissions/a00196/school-admissions-guidance-and-reports

 

Cx

[Rufus]

I have had reception classes of 35, 36 and 38 before, with just me and a NN. I used to split the class into 2, so for each carpet session, I would have half the class and my NN would have the other half and we would teach a similar carpet session. We would swap the groups over each fortnight, so I would do carpet sessions and focus group work with 'group a' and my NN would do the same with 'group b' and then swap over. It worked for us. If it was appropriate, we would group the children by ability, if not randomly. I found that I would change my groups quite often but as long as I was working with each child every fortnight it was fine and I could monitor where each child was and plan for their next steps.

[Guest]

We are a foundation stage unit so we open the door share the continuous provision with the FS1's so somehow that makes it ok - but I still have to teach all of the FS2's. Because the extra 5 were on appeal (Catholic school that cannot refuse Catholics) the extra children got in. LA said we will have to manage. I like the idea of splitting the class but not sure if that should be in the role of my level 2 TA or not. I will see how it goes and speak to the (new) head!

[Guest]

i also split the class for teaching sessions - I use a three part lesson so I teach the review and introduction, then 10 minutes in groups, then I do a whole class plenary. I do this for phonics and numeracy. TA and I swap groups each week.

[Froglet]

I've not had that many as a reception class but have done the splitting thing with a YR/1 mix. For example with maths I might do a bit of counting with everyone and then split the children (they just faced different ways on the carpet) for a different bit of the starter e.g. number bonds at different levels.

 

Then with focus tasks there would usually be one adult with a Y1 group and one with YR. I switched who did what so every child got to work with different adults. YR tended to have 2 maths and 2 CLL mornings each week so the TA and I would do one of each. I'd alternate whether the TA or I did the reading or writing (in its broadest sense) focus for YR and later in the year which of us was with them for any recorded work they did. I had a system of noting 'I' or 'S' at the bottom of a page to indicate whether the work had been supported or independent so that when I looked through later I could tell even if I hadn't been with them for the work.

[Guest]

I am in reception and always have 30 never more and it is me and 1 TA. You should not have more than 30 unless extra support has been put in. At a previous school i had 36 children in reception 1 year (45 intake which was usually split into 2 but with 36 they couldn't afford 2 classes) so I had 2 full time very experienced TAs and we very often split 3 ways to teach sometimes randomly grouping other times differentiated. That said you are stuck with what you have so have to make use of what you have. All TAs at my school teach groups whatever their grade all planned by the teacher unless they are HLTAs who plan and groups range from a couple in a group to groups of 15 or more. For phonics, writing sessions and Maths we all start off together with the TA usually taking off small groups for extra booster during the starter but often at the beginning of the year she sits with the children to support them on the carpet. After the beginning of the session both me and my TA have focus groups while the rest free flow. Don't forget effective use of your TA is what ofsted look for very closely.

Deb

[Guest]

I am in reception and always have 30 never more and it is me and 1 TA. You should not have more than 30 unless extra support has been put in.

Sorry but since February this year class size limits can exceeded without a legal requirement for extra support. Since the EYFS only requires one teacher for 30 children it will only need to be a TA or nursery nurse in the room to count as extra support. The reasons including more than 30 are quite specific such as a child with a statement of need or where the thirtieth child admitted is a twin/triplet

But it also allows for children of service personelle although as this is unlikely to apply to us I am not familiar with those criteria.

I am surprisedv at 35 though as governors have discretion to draw a line - they must have made a poor case at appeals panels.