Admissions Policy
Lead Person / Committee
Suite
Approval By
Review Frequency
Date Approved
Review Due
Head teacher
NA
Full Governors
Three Yearly
May 2013
May 2016
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MONTACUTE SCHOOL GOVERNING BODY
ADMISSIONS POLICY
Children are admitted to Montacute School who have a wide range of Severe
Learning Difficulties (SLD) and who have been assessed, or are in the process of
formal assessment, leading to the issue of a Statement of Special Educational
Need.
Some pupils have Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD), and some
have additional complex learning difficulties such as Visual, Hearing or Physical
Impairment. Some pupils are on the Autistic Spectrum. The school is currently
funded for 75 pupils between the ages of 3 -18+ years.
Montacute School is situated within Poole Borough Unitary Authority, although the
school’s catchment area includes the neighbouring Authorities of Dorset and
Bournemouth. Poole is the ‘host’ Authority, and all placement requests go through
Poole. These are considered at the fort-nightly Multi-Agency Advisory Group
meeting, where Officers from Pupil and Parent Support, together with
representative Headteachers and representatives from Health, Social Services and
the Psychology Service, discuss requests for Special School placements, including
those from other Authorities.
The Borough of Poole seeks to cater for the needs of Poole children within Poole
schools wherever possible. Where there is a suitable available alternative, parents
are offered a choice of school to visit and consider. All prospective parents and
pupils are expected to visit Montacute prior to any agreement on placement.
The school does not admit pupils above the established number of 75 without full
additional funding. Pupils are only admitted over numbers where it can be
ensured that this will not be detrimental to the education of the existing pupils.
Wherever possible, the Statements of prospective pupils are carefully reviewed
prior to admission, in order to ascertain that identified statemented needs can be
met and to ensure that the school is properly resourced to meet requirements.
An initial resource band for each child admitted is agreed with Poole LA but this is
reviewed around 6 weeks after admission and the outcome communicated to the
Borough.
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Pupils are normally admitted from the age of 3 years, but can be admitted at
other ages, subject to places being available within the relevant class group. The
Post-16 Group is designed for pupils aged 16 -18 plus who have benefited from the
Montacute Curriculum up to the age of 16 years. At the present time this provision
is not intended to meet the needs of pupils from other local schools, although
occasionally students can be accommodated, subject to space and suitability.
The school is under considerable pressure of places, and aims to work closely with
the Borough of Poole, finding it helpful to be kept fully informed of all placement
requests to facilitate forward planning.
Procedure for Admission of Pupils Approaching School Age
 Pupils can be admitted to Montacute School from the age of 3 years, following
the formal assessment procedure, and subject to availability of places.
 Where appropriate, a part-time placement in the Reception Class can be
arranged by agreement between school staff and parents, gradually building
up to full time as appropriate.
 Parents are asked to make application to Poole Borough (Pupil and Parent
Support) for a place at Montacute School as early as possible each year for the
following September, in line with procedures at maintained nurseries and first
schools. This applies to parents whose children are attending other pre-school
placements, attending the Child Development Centre at Poole Hospital, or
receiving support at home from the Portage Service.
 Following agreement of an admission date the school, in liaison with Education
Officers from Pupil and Parent Support, will confirm admission arrangements for
the following September, applying the admissions criteria listed below.
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Admissions: Criteria for Consideration
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Statement of Special Educational Need (SLD / PMLD)
Availability of places in the relevant class group
Total numbers on school roll
Priority for children who do not yet have a school place
Dates of birth of prospective pupils
Balanced spread of numbers across the year groups
Balance of categories of Special Educational Need across the school and within
class groups
Implications for deployment of staff
Limitations of the built environment
Parental preference
Impact on the children already at school
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