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Managing your published admission number (PAN)

Read advice on admitting pupils above the published admission number (PAN), and how to increase or reduce your PAN. If you're school leader, you can also find out how to appeal your admission authority's decision.

Last reviewed on 17 December 2025
•Ref: 52745
Contents
  1. Your admission authority will set the PAN
  2. The PAN is decided during the 'determination year'
  3. Admitting above the PAN
  4. Reducing the PAN  
  5. Increasing the PAN
  6. Appealing decisions about the PAN

Your admission authority will set the PAN

The published admission number (PAN) is set for each 'relevant age group' at which pupils are usually admitted to a school, e.g. reception for a primary school and year 7 for a secondary school. 

This is explained in the Schools Admissions Code 2021 (paragraph 1.2).

If your local authority (LA) is the admission authority and you want to change your PAN, you can ask your LA about doing this.

If you're a maintained special school or special academy, your LA manages your agreed pupil number (APN). To request a change to your APN, contact your LA directly.

Read more about how admission arrangements are set.

This is when admission authorities decide on admission arrangements in the school year