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ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS

Children become of statutory school age and therefore must start school no later than the beginning of term following their 5th birthday. Our school policy allows children whose 5th birthday falls between 1st September and 31st August (the school year) the opportunity to start school at the beginning of the autumn term after their fourth birthday. Children who have their fifth birthday between 1st September and 31st December are able to start on a full-time basis and the rest of the children on a part time basis (mornings only). After the Christmas break all children may attend full-time unless it is considered that further part time attendance would be in the best educational interests of the child. This gives children the opportunity of completing their Foundation Stage Education prior to entering Year 1. This policy makes no change to the minimum statutory school age as explained above.

During the summer prior to their child’s fourth birthday parents will be invited to apply for a place in the lower school of their choice. Parents will be informed of the decision regarding their child’s future school in the following March. At the beginning of the summer term new parents will be invited to an evening presentation where they are introduced to the Reception Class staff and will receive information regarding the Reception year. This meeting will also give parents the opportunity to raise questions. The children and their parents will be able to meet the class teacher and visit their classroom.

Each lower school has an admission number related to its accommodation and catchment area. Currently our admission limit is 45. Every effort will be made to meet parental wishes, but on occasions we may receive more requests for admission than there are places available.

If the number of places in a particular year group at school is not sufficient to meet the requests of all parents, then the following County criteria will be applied, in the order shown to determine how the places will be allocated.

• All ‘looked after children’. (a child who is accommodated by the local authority and  is subject to a full care order).
• Pupils living in the catchment area
• ‘Very exceptional’ medical circumstances
• Brothers and sisters currently in the school
• Those living the shortest distance from the school, measured in a straight line, between the central point of the main school site and where the pupil lives.