Consultation on Proposed Changes to the School Admissions Arrangements 2027–28

Coleman Primary is a school maintained by the local authority and is situated in the east of the city.

The school comprises of seven year groups ranging from Reception to Year 6, and currently has a published admission number of 90 pupils per year group. The current total capacity of the school is 630 pupils.

Leicester City Council is responsible for setting the admission arrangements for all its mainstream community and voluntary controlled schools in the city. We are proposing a change to be implemented to the current admission arrangements from the start of the 2027/28 academic year, which is to reduce the published admission number (PAN) at Coleman Primary School from 90 to 60 places.

This means the school would offer 60 places for new pupils starting in Reception each year, instead of the current 90.

Reason for the proposed change

In recent years, the school has received far fewer Reception applications than places available. In 2025, only 32 pupils were offered Reception places (58 spaces unfilled), and in 2024, 45 places were offered (45 spaces unfilled).

Recent census data shows the school continues to operate well below capacity. In May 2025, there were 498 pupils on roll out of a possible 630, leaving 21% of places unfilled.

By law, the school is only allowed to place a maximum of 30 pupils in each infant class. This means the school needs to employ three teachers for three separate classes if the pupil numbers are higher than 60 but less than 90.

School funding is allocated by the Government on a per pupil basis, so if the school have, for example, 53 pupils they only receive funding for that number of children but still incur the same teaching costs as they would for 90 pupils.

Therefore, the school is keen to ensure that, in future, pupil numbers and staffing costs are more closely aligned. Reducing the published admission number to 60 would ensure that the school is able to reduce staffing costs to alleviate potential financial pressures.

Summary of the proposal

Falling birth rates – 19% lower in 2024/25 compared with 2014/15 – have led to fewer pupils entering schools across the city, a trend expected to continue.

Coleman Primary continues to have more places available than needed, especially in the lower year groups. Reducing the published admission number to 60 pupils per year group from the 2027/28 academic year would help the school manage its budget effectively while maintaining enough school places locally and citywide.

This change would only affect new Reception admissions from August 2027 onwards. All existing pupils would continue under current arrangements. Over time, the school’s total capacity would reduce from 630 to 420 pupils.