Explanatory note

These Regulations make transitional provisions in connection with the imposition of a limit on the size of infant classes at maintained schools in England under section 1 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. They apply in relation to the admission of children to such schools for education in infant classes in the 2000–2001 school year.

The Regulations disapply certain provisions of the 1998 Act concerning the fixing of the number of children to be so admitted. The disapplication is for the purpose of enabling a school’s relevant standard number to be adjusted so that it is compatible with the duty to comply with the limit on infant class sizes which will apply in relation to schools in England from the 2001–2002 school year. The circumstances in which disapplication is to apply are set out in regulation 3.

The provisions in regulation 4 apply where, before 21st February 2000, the admission authority of a maintained school to which the disapplication provisions apply have already published an admission number which, if that number of children were to be admitted, would mean that the class size limit could not be met without prejudice to efficient education or the efficient use of resources. Where those provisions apply, an admission authority are required to determine and publish a revised admission number corresponding to that proposed (or to be proposed) in any pending application for variation of the school’s relevant standard number (or, where applicable, for approval of a varied approved admission number).

Regulation 5 provides for disapplication to apply throughout the whole of the 2000–2001 school year.