Admissions Policy for admission 2013/14

Admissions Policy: Holy Trinity CE Primary School

Applications for admission should be made on the Local Authority’s Common Application Form (CAF) on-line or by hard copy, obtainable from the Local Authority.  A copy of the School’s Admissions Policy is available on-line or by request. Places will be offered on the offer date (known as National Offer Day) for all maintained schools in the Borough. It is the parents’ responsibility to inform the Local Authority of any change in circumstances since the completion and submission of the application form if the changes have occurred before the offer day; in the event of changes in circumstances occurring after the offer date, then it is the parents’ responsibility to inform the Head teacher.

The School is part of the locally agreed co-ordination scheme and the timescales for applications to be received and processed are those prescribed each year by the Local Authority. Parents must complete the Local Authority’s Common Application Form (CAF) and return the form to the Authority; if applying for a place at this School, parents must name this School as one of the preferences on the CAF.

Parents who wish to apply for a Foundation Place must also complete this school’s supplementary form (attached: Appendix Form for Ministers) and return this to the School Office by the Local Authority’s prescribed submission of applications date. Failure to return the completed supplementary form will mean that the school will not consider the application for a Foundation Place under priority category 2, but will treat the application as being for a non-Foundation Place and determine the application according to the relevant priority category in which the applicant falls.

A maximum of 60 children whose fifth birthday falls during that school year (ie: 1^st September – 31^st August) can be accepted for admission to the reception class that year.

A maximum of 30 of these 60 places can be accepted for admission under the Foundation Place category.

An Admissions Committee consisting of the Head teacher and at least two governors will consider applications in the event of more than 60 applications being received.

CATEGORIES OF PRIORITY 1 to 5:

If there are more applications than places available, applications will be ranked according to the following categories of priority:

1. Children in public care/formerly in public care (see note a).
2. Those qualifying for Foundation Places to a maximum of 30.
3. Children with brothers or sisters at the school at the time of admission. This includes half, step, fostered or adopted family members, and those living permanently in the same household as a family unit.
4. Children who have a parent who has been a paid and permanent member of staff for two or more years at the school at the time at which the application is made.
5. Children who live nearest the school, in order of proximity, according to the L.A.’s current way of measuring distance.  The distance would be calculated from home to the nearest school entrance measured by the shortest route by road or publicly maintained footpath as calculated by the Local Authority’s computerised geographical information system (GIS).

Tie-breaker.

In the event that two or more applicants have equal right to a place under any of the above priority categories, and there are insufficient places, the Governing Body will use distance, in the first instance, to decide between applicants; if applicants live equidistant from the school the Governing Body will draw lots to decide between applicants.

Foundation Places

A maximum of 30 Foundation Places will be offered each year.

Children whose parents are regular and committed members (who satisfy commitment requirements: see note b) of churches and chapels of Christian denominations will be considered for a Foundation Place. The school will contact your Minister for confirmation, therefore please provide details of your Minister to the school. The form for Ministers is included as an Appendix to this policy.

Where applications satisfying the criterion for a Foundation Place, (that criterion being: that parents have shown regular committed [defined at note b] church membership, certified accordingly by their Priest/Minister on the Supplementary Form returned to and received by the school) exceed 30, these will be ranked according to proximity to the school; with the closest 30 to the school being allocated places under priority category 2 above.

Foundation Place applications not allocated amongst the first 30, will be considered as non-Foundation Place applications, and ranked in accordance with priority categories 3, 4, and 5 above, and the distance tie-breaker will be applied to any over-subscribed category.

Where less than 30 Foundation Places are applied for or so determined, the balance of the 30 unallocated Foundation Places will be become non-Foundation Places for that year and be available to all applicants,  and will be determined and ranked in accordance with priority categories  3, 4, and 5, and the distance tie-breaker will be applied to any over-subscribed category.

Notes:

1. Children in public Care are children who are in the care of local authorities as defined by section 22 of the Children Act 1989.This will also include previously looked after children but ceased to be because they were adopted or became subject to a residence order or special guardianship order.  The Governors will require written confirmation that the child meets these criteria.
2. The definition of “regular and committed members” requires the parents/carer(s) to attend worship at least twice a month, at a church or chapel of Christian denomination, over a minimum period of a year prior to the date of the Minister’s reference. Christian denomination refers to any church which is a full member of “Churches Together in Britain and Ireland” or the “Evangelical Alliance”.

Waiting Lists

If your child does not get a place within the normal round of admission to reception class they will be placed on a waiting list which will be ordered in accordance with the above categories.

Older Children and those who move into the area are able to join the school at any time, subject to places being available.

Late applications

The School will consider late applications in accordance with the procedure in the local authority’s co-ordinated scheme. This means that late applicants will be considered after the initial round of offers is made; where the school is oversubscribed this is likely to reduce considerably your chance of gaining a place.

Appeals

If your child is refused a place you may appeal in writing to an independent Admission Appeals Panel, c/o Holy Trinity School, Carrington Road, Richmond, TW10 5AA. Appeals should be received within 14 days of the date of refusal and must set out the grounds of your appeal.

Appendix: Form for Ministers

HOLY TRINITY CE PRIMARY SCHOOL, Carrington Road, RICHMOND TW10 5AA

Declaration from parish priest/minister of religion