St. Swithun's C of E Primary School

Admissions Policy for the academic year beginning
1st September 2018

Our ethos and values: 
St Swlthun's School aspires to be a Church school that Includes children, parents/carers, staff, governors and the wider community, which we refer to as "our family". 
We welcome and value everyone as part of our community based on Christian values. We work together as a team which respects and values the unique contributions of each individual child and adult. We learn together in a safe, secure and stable loving environment. We strive for excellence in all we do and say, building an atmosphere of trust, respect and friendship. We endeavour to support each other to reach our full potential. We are committed to developing the spiritual and emotional well-being of everyone in our community. 
Our school is proud to be rooted in Christian values. 
'Love bears all things,
Believes all things, 
Hopes all things,
Endures all things.
(1 Corinthians 13:7) 

1 	Introduction 
1.1	Our governing body applies the regulations on admissions fairly and equally to all those who wish to attend this school. The governing body has referred to the School Admissions Code 2014 and Schools Admission Appeals Code 2012. 

2 	Aims 
2.1 	We seek to be an inclusive school, welcoming children from all backgrounds and abilities. 
2.2 	All applications will be considered against the admissions oversubscription criteria. 
2.3 	The only restriction we place on entry is that of number. If the number of children applying for entry exceeds the places available, we adopt the procedure set out below to determine whether a child is to be accepted or not. It is our wish for parents to find a place for their child at the school of their preference. However, this is not always possible, due to excess demand on the places available. 
2.4 	Parents may apply outside the normal age range (due to a child being gifted and talented or ill health) however the decision will be made by the governing body and notified by the Local Authority. Information is available at http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/media/1 09754/factsheet-summer-born-final2.pdf 
3 	How parents can apply for their child to be admitted to our school 
3.1 	St.Swithun's is an Aided Church of England School and the admission of children is controlled by the Governors of the school. The school determines the admission arrangements in agreement with the Diocese. We also work in partnership with the Local Authority (LA) for co-ordinated admissions into full time education. 
3.2 	The LA's annual admissions prospectus informs parents how to apply for a place at the school of their preference. Parents have a right to express their preference, but this does not, in itself, guarantee a place at that particular school. Application should be made to the home local authority. The local authority will notify parents of the decision as soon as all the applications have been considered. 
3.3 	In-year applications must be made to the local authority in the same manner as all other applications. The Local Authority will inform the parents of a decision. 
3.4 	Parents have the right to defer admission to school. A child will be offered a place for Foundation Stage 2, however the parent can defer the child's entry until later in the school year but not beyond the point at which they reach compulsory school age and not beyond the beginning of the final term of the school year for which it was made; and where the parents wish, children may attend part-time until later in the school year but not beyond the point at which they reach compulsory school age. 
3.4 	Children born between 1st September 2013 and 31st August 2014 will be offered a place to join the F2 class in September 2018. A successful applicant must take up the allocated place during the 2018/19 academic year. The school has a published admission number of 30 children. Where applications for vacant places are being considered, the following criteria will be applied: 
Priority 1: 	Looked after children (and previously looked after children) 
Priority 2: 	Children who have a sibling attending the school at the time of admission. (Siblings includes step siblings and fostered or adopted siblings, children living permanently at the same address). 
Priority 3: 	Families attending a Christian Church (letter from minister required) 
Priority 4: 	Children wanting a Christian Education (letter from parent/guardian) 
Priority 5: 	Children living nearest to the school at the time of admission. Distance is measure as the crow flies from the entrance of the child's home to the entrance of the main admin building using the Local Authority software. In the event of two distances being equal, lots will be drawn and independently verified. 
Where children are equally ranked according to these priorities, the final determination will be made according to the distance from the school as provided by the LA. 
Special circumstances: Children whose particular medical needs, mobility support needs, special educational needs or social circumstances are supported by written evidence from a doctor, social worker or other relevant professionals stating that the school is the only school which could cater for the child's particular needs. The evidence must be presented at the time of application. These will be considered by the school governing body. 
Cases agreed under 'special circumstances' will take precedence over all the above numbered criteria. We are an inclusive school so therefore, children with a statement of Special Educational Needs or an Education, Health Care plan will be admitted to the school. Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children are welcome at our school. If a place is available then they will be admitted quickly so that they can continue their education. 
We cannot notify parents about the outcome of their application until an offer from the LA has been received (F2 and above). 
At St Swithun's School the Governors operate a one term admissions policy. All start in September. 

4 	Admission appeals 

4.1 	If parents wish to appeal against a decision to refuse entry, they can do so by applying directly to the Governors. A panel considers all such appeals, and its decision is binding for all parties concerned. If the appeals panel decides that we should admit a child to whom we had refused a place, then we will accept this decision and continue to do all we can to provide the best education for all the children at our school. Appeals should be lodged within 20 school days of the date of the refusal letter. 
4.2 	The school operates a waiting list for its intake year group in partnership with Nottinghamshire LA. This is kept and prioritised following the oversubscription criteria until the end of the first week of the spring term. 

5 	Sizes of classes for Key Stage 1 
5.1 	We teach infant children (aged five to seven) in classes that have a maximum number of 30 children. 

6 	Monitoring and review 
6.1 	This policy will be monitored by the governing body and reviewed every three years, or earlier in the light of any changed circumstances, either in our school or in the local area. The policy will always take due note of guidance provided by the local Admissions Forum. 
Signed: 
Presented to full Governors: Spring 2006 
Presented to Staff: Spring 2006 
New policy implemented from Sept 2006 
Reviewed: Spring 2008 
Next review: Spring 2011 
Reviewed Spring 2011 
Next review: Spring 2012 
Reviewed: Spring 2012 
Next review: Spring 2013 
Reviewed: Spring 2013 
Next review Spring 2014 
Reviewed: Spring 2014 
Next review: Spring 2015 
Reviewed: Spring 2015
Next Review: Spring 2016 
Reviewed: Spring 2016 
Next review: Spring 2017
Reviewed: Spring 2017 

Signed