By law it is the duty of the Local Education Authority to ensure that all children between the ages of 5 and 16 receive suitable full-time education. Accordingly the Local Education Authority must provide sufficient school places for pupils within their control.
The admission of pupils to primary and secondary schools maintained by the Authority shall take into account the wishes of the parents and shall be in accordance with the arrangements made by the Local Education Authority.
Whilst Governors have little direct responsibility for admissions, the Articles of Government require the Authority to consult with Governing Bodies on admission arrangements in each school year.
The Local Education Authority’s current arrangements take into account defined geographical areas, but parents who express a wish that their children attend a school outside such defined areas will be offered the place(s) they require provided the admission of the child (ren) would “not prejudice the provision of efficient education or the efficient use of resources” which normally means that it would push numbers above an agreed limit for the school.
The “MORE OPEN ENROLMENT” provisions of the 1988 Education Reform Act require the Local Education Authority to set the admissions limit, which is termed its “standard number”. The standard number for the school is 30. The standard number is an indicator of physical capacity and all schools have had one since the passing of the 1980 Education Act.
There are occasions when demand for admissions at a particular school exceeds the standard number or indeed a higher number recognised by the Governing Body. In the event of such demand schools must observe the admissions criteria set by the Local Education Authority in consultation with the Governing Body
A Summary of the admissions criteria is offered below but a full version is published in the LEA’s admissions Prospectus 2013/2014
Admission of New entrants to Nursery and Reception
The policy for pupils entering our nursery and reception class is based on a staggered entry approach. Pupils will attend full time as and when the composition of the class allows. This will enable the class teacher and nursery nurse to give each pupil a great deal of individual attention.
Year 1 to Year 6
Pupils entering school who are in years 1 to 6 will do so on the day of registration