Admissions Policy 2014-15
As a Primary school we understand that choosing the right school for your
children is a very important decision. All parents are welcome to visit the school,
speak with the Head Teacher and see us in action before making a decision
about their children’s future.
As a Community Primary School, Meadow Green Primary follows Local Authority
Policy and practice with regard to admission arrangements. (See ‘Information for
Parents 2014-15 Admissions and Transfers to Schools’).
All admission authorities are required to review their arrangements every year.
Therefore the information in this document is for admissions in the school year
2014-15 and may change in future years.
Meadow Green Primary will review their admissions policy annually in line with
the Local authority.
At what age can your child start school?
By law, your child reaches school age at the beginning of the term after the one
in which his or her fifth birthday falls. In Worcestershire however, most children
start school earlier than the law requires.
Meadow Green Primary’s admissions policy will entitle you to apply for a place
for your child, provided s/he is 4 before 1st September 2009.
How do you apply for a place at Meadow Green Primary School
The parents of ALL pupils, including parents whose preference is for the
catchment area school for the child’s home address, seeking a place at any First,
Infant or Primary School, within Worcestershire, including any Voluntary Aided
School, are required to complete an online Worcestershire LA Common
Application Form (PA1), by the closing date. This also applies to any pupil, who
does not reside within Worcestershire, but wishes to apply for a place at a
Worcestershire school. In this case they need to indicate their preference for a
place at Meadow Green within their home authorities online form.
Parents are invited to state three preferences on the Common Application Form,
which is submitted online the Pupil Admissions and Transfers Section. All
preferences are treated as equal initially, and the oversubscription criteria applied
to each preference. If it is possible to make a potential offer for more than one
school, then the final offer will be the school ranked highest on the application
form.
You may apply on-line by visiting the Worcestershire website
www.worcestershire.gov.uk
When should you apply?
Places in reception classes in Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools are
allocated on the basis of applications received on or before the closing date of:
Friday, 15th January 2015 for admissions in the school year September 2015 to
August 2016..
Who has responsibility for the allocation of places?
For Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools, decisions are made by the
Pupil Admissions and Transfers Section, of Children’s Services.
The Head Teacher of Meadow Green Primary is not in a position to offer your
child a place.
What happens if the school is oversubscribed?
If there are more applications to Meadow Green Primary than places, children
are admitted in the following order of priority:
i)
Relevant* ‘Looked after’ children.
ii)
Pupils living within the catchment area of the school.
iii)
Pupils who would still have a brother or sister (sibling connection) at
school at the time of admission. In order to qualify for a place on the
grounds of a sibling attending the school, the sibling must already be
attending the school at the time of application and still be attending at
the time of admission;
iv)
Pupils who have a significant reason for admission, such reasons,
the validity of which will be determined by the Directorate of Children’s
Services, will include medical, social or compassionate grounds. To be
considered under this category it has to be shown that only this school
can meet the medical, social or compassionate needs. Parents/carers
are required to produce a medical certificate or other appropriate
information from an independent source. (Significant reasons will
not be considered unless supporting information is attached to
your application form when submitted
v)
Pupils who live nearest to the school by the shortest available walking
route. The measurement will be taken from the front entrance of the
pupil’s home to the nearest school entrance, which is the access point
to the school site, along a road or made up footpath.
When are decisions made?
Offer letters will be posted on 16th April 2015 via second class postage to all
parents from the Local Authority.
What happens if you are moving into the area?
Where families with children of school age are moving into the area and wish to
transfer their children to a different school, parents should at the earliest
opportunity either enquire at the school or contact the Pupil Admissions and
Transfers Section.
How many children may be admitted to each school?
The County Council has a duty to ensure the provision of efficient education and
the efficient use of resources. Schools cannot be permitted to become
overcrowded. The number of pupils that may be admitted to a school in the
relevant year group is known as the Published Admission Number (PAN).
The PAN at Meadow Green Primary from September 2015 is 45.
Induction at Meadow Green Primary
We understand that starting Primary School is a major event in a child’s life.
Some children will have experienced Nursery, for others this may be the
beginning of their education away from the home environment.
It is important that the child’s experience of starting Primary School is positive
and successful and therefore we put great emphasis on the induction
programme.
Rising 4 and 5 children and their parents are invited for an induction talk and tour
of the school in the summer term before the child is due to start school.
Following this talk they spend three afternoons during the second half of the
summer term, in their class group based in the Nursery or Reception classrooms.
Here they will have the opportunity to form positive relationships with their class
teacher and teaching assistant – whilst enjoying their afternoons in a secure,
happy environment.
During the induction talk the parents are given a pack containing information
about school. The Head Teacher and Reception staff use this time to answer
questions and allay concerns they may have. Appointments are also made for
home visits where Foundation Stage staff can meet with the individual child in
their own setting.
All pupils undertake a staggered intake at Meadow Green Primary. This allows
every child to make as smooth and successful a transition into primary education
as possible.
Review Date: September 2014