Basic information regarding primary school places
In September enter date, there will be over enter amount children starting primary school in enter council name
If the number of places at each school in enter council name were unlimited, then every child would be able to attend their preferred primary school, but unfortunately this is not the case. The number of children each school can accept is limited, and the Council cannot guarantee that a place will be available at your preferred school.
The Government has introduced a class size initiative. No 5, 6 or 7 year old at Key Stage 1 should be in a class of over 30 pupils for a normal teaching session.
If you cannot be allocated a place at your preferred school, consideration will be given to your named alternative on the application form.
The normal procedure is that you tell the school of your choice that you would like a place there for your child.
Admission arrangements for Community schools and Voluntary Controlled church schools are different from arrangements for Voluntary Aided church schools.
Details of how to apply and how places are allocated are given on this page.
The Council is responsible for allocating places at all Community schools and Voluntary Controlled schools and all requests for places are dealt with by officers of the Council.
You should make sure that your child's name is known to your preferred primary school. In most cases this will be your local primary school.
An is available link to online form, and ALL copies should be completed and returned to your preferred school by enter date
Should a preferred school not be named on the form, a place will be allocated to the school nearest to your home that has places available.
The form will be signed upon receipt, on behalf of the school. The schools will then pass one copy of all forms to the School Organisation Section at the Council Offices. One copy will be retained by the school for their records. The remaining copy will be made available to the parent to acknowledge receipt of the application.
All requests for schools are considered at the same time. Late applications will be dealt with after all places have been allocated to pupils whose Admission Forms were submitted on time, if the available class has been filled to the maximum of 30 it will not be possible (in normal circumstances) to offer a place at that school.
On the Admission Form there is a box marked Special Circumstances. You should tick this box if you have special reasons for wanting a place at a particular school. These could be medical or exceptional family circumstances.
Please give as much information as you can which might help us when allocating places, by filling in the Special Circumstances sheet. If your child has particular needs relating to accommodation, please include these details as part of your 'Special Circumstances'. The sheet should be attached to the Admission Form . All information will be treated in the strictest confidence.
Each school has an admission limit, which has been agreed by the Council following discussion with the Governing Body of the school.
If there are fewer requests for places at a particular school than the admission limit, the Council will ask the headteacher to offer a place to each child.
If the school is oversubscribed, ie. there are more requests for places at a school than places available, the Council apply criteria to decide which children should gain places
Please note: All applications submitted by the closing date will be dealt with at the same time. This means that your child will not get greater priority if his/her name has been known to the school longer than other children.
It is also important to remember that attendance at a nursery school which is attached to, or near to, a particular primary school does not guarantee your child a place at the school.
The Governing Body of each Voluntary Aided (Church) school deals with admissions to that particular school.
You should make sure that your child's name is known to your preferred primary school. Closing dates vary and you should contact your preferred school as soon as possible. If you are not offered a place at a Voluntary Aided school before the closing date for admission to Community schools, you should apply for a place at a Community school.
Each Voluntary Aided school has its own criteria for deciding admission if the school is over subscribed (ie. if more pupils want places at the school than there are places available).
The headteacher of the school concerned can inform you of the criteria that he or she is required to apply. In general the following guidance may be of help.
These schools wish to preserve the denominational character and ethos of the spiritual tradition on which they are founded.
Criteria for allocations may include factors such as membership of a church. Both length of time and frequency of attendance, are taken into consideration, and often written confirmation of attendance from a clergyman is requested.
A sibling connection is important in all cases, but not necessarily a priority.
In the case of oversubscription, (too many requests for the places available) a practicing Christian family is the first criterion in over 50% of the schools, while a sibling connection is the first criterion in the remaining schools.
These are general features, common to all these schools. To obtain more detailed information about an individual school, parents are advised to consult each school's own prospectus.
Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary Schools
These schools wish to preserve the denominational character and ethos of the spiritual tradition on which they are founded. In many cases, when considering admissions, the Governing Body insists that the child should be a baptised Catholic, and should attend the church regularly. Proof of baptism may be requested.
Baptised Catholic children from neighbouring churches will also be considered.
These are general features, common to all these schools. To obtain more detailed information about an individual school, parents are advised to consult each school's own prospectus.
A number of Voluntary Aided Roman Catholic schools have an agreement with the Local Education Authority under Section 91 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This means that the school can limit the number of children admitted to the school who are not of the school's particular faith. These agreements will cease to operate, as a result of changes in legislation, for admissions from enter date onwards. If you have any queries about this, please speak to the headteacher of the school.
If you are seeking a place from a Roman Catholic Voluntary aided primary school and you are unsuccessful, you have the right of appeal to the Governing Body. The headteacher will inform you, on request, about the appeal arrangements at the school. In normal circumstances the Appeal Panel cannot admit pupils if there are already 30 in the class.
You should be aware that a number of schools are oversubscribed each year. Where a school is oversubscribed, places will be offered on the basis of the four criteria indicated below, in order of priority, and will take into account the availability of accommodation at other schools in the area.
The 'statutory walking distance', measured over the 'nearest available route' is two miles, for children under the age of eight. (Section 199 Education Act 1993).
Ease of access will be considered when no other school is within a reasonable travelling distance and the school in question is the nearest school.
Places are allocated on the basis of the parent's principal home address. The only address that the Authority can consider is the address of the parent/guardian with whom the child is permanently resident. Where the proposed admission is to coincide with a change of address, the Authority will require evidence such as a solicitor's confirmation of exchange of contracts.
If the child is cared for on a daily basis at another address, for example, by a childminder, grandparents or another member of the family, this address cannot be considered by the authority for the purpose of its admission process.
Where schools are likely to be oversubscribed, parents will be asked to provide proof of the principal address, by way of official documents displaying the name and address of the parents.
Please note that strong action will be taken by the Council if a false address is given, including withdrawal of the offer of a place at the named school(s).
What happens if you do not gain a place at your preferred school?
If you are not offered your preferred school, a place in another school will be offered. If you have stated a second preference, the Council will offer a place at this school if the places have not been filled with parents who made it their first preference. More information regarding appeals link to pid 705.
email address herephone number heresms phone number herefax number hereminicom number herepostal address here