Consultation on the reduction of PAN

PAN Consultation

Consultation on a proposed reduction in the published admission number for Outwood Academy Danum with effect from September 2027.

Length of consultation: 6 weeks (term time), ending on  12 January 2026.

Admission authorities must have determined their admissions arrangements for entry in September 2027 by 28th February 2026. They must publish them on their website and have sent a copy to their local authority before 15th March 2026.

Proposal

To decrease the published admission number from 240 students to 210 students.

Although the Regulations and Code of Practice relating to school admissions no longer require an admissions authority to consult when maintaining or increasing a school’s PAN, there remains a requirement to consult when the proposal is to reduce a PAN. Outwood Academy Danum, as the admissions authority, is seeking comments on the proposed change. 

The current Published Admission Number (PAN) for Outwood Academy Danum is 240. This proposed change means that the number of children admitted into the school at Year 7 each year is limited to 210. The Academy has not reached 240 students in Year 7 for at least the last 3 years and Local Authority data suggests this will be the case in future years: the trend in a falling birthrate seen nationally is mirrored in this community and future projections for numbers in fact show a decrease in need.  Adopting a PAN of 210 will ensure class sizes remain at a level deemed optimal for teaching and learning within the academy's staffing and curriculum model.  The local demand is such that a PAN of 240 is no longer necessary creating an oversupply of places in the academy.

Outwood Academy Danum proposes to reduce the published admission number of the academy from 240 to 210 with effect from September 2027. 

This means that the number of places available for children in Year 7 in 2027 – and all subsequent Year 7 cohorts – will be 210. For children who already have a place at the school in other year groups there will be no change. 

There has been discussion and agreement with City of Doncaster Council that an admission number of 210 at the school will still meet the needs of the area.

How to Respond 

This consultation will run from 17 November to 12 January 2026 and you are invited to submit comments in writing about the proposal above using this form or in writing to Mrs M Crane, Outwood Academy Danum, Armthorpe Road, DN2 5QD, or email enquiries@danum.outwood.com.

Please send any comments by 12 January 2026.

Following the consultation period the Trust Board will consider any comments received and how to proceed. Admission arrangements for 2027 will be determined by 28th February 2026 and any subsequent objections would need to be made to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator.