Oxford Diocesan Board for Education
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OXFORD DIOCESAN BOARD FOR EDUCATION OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL Ashbury with Compton Beauchamp Church of England (Aided) Primary School Ashbury, Swindon, Wiltshire. SN6 8LN ADMISSION POLICY FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2014/ 15 SCHOOL SIZE Ashbury School is a small rural primary school. The admissions number for the academic year 2014-2015 is 15 children with the same number of places allocated to other year groups. Whilst this is first and foremost a Church of England Aided Primary School, the Governors warmly welcome all children to the school. Traditionally children have been drawn from the parishes of Ashbury and Compton Beauchamp, which include Knighton, Odstone, Idstone and Kingston Winslow. Children from the Lambourn Area are also admitted, continuing a policy, which originated when Ashbury was in the County of Berkshire. The Christian ethos of the school, the facilities, the small teaching groups, the care of children with special needs and the high standards have attracted children from other areas. With the passing of recent legislation parents are free to opt for their choice of school if there is space available. In such cases it is the Head Teacher's and the Governors' wish that parents should inform their nearest school of their decision to send their child to Ashbury School. VOLUNTARY AIDED STATUS The law places responsibility for admission arrangements with the school Governors of Ashbury School. The Governors are required to consult with the Oxford Diocesan Board of Education and the Oxfordshire County Council where there are proposed material changes to the policy. STARTING SCHOOL All children must start school by the beginning of the term (beginning in January, April or September) after their fifth birthday. The process of application to attend Ashbury School is in line with other Oxfordshire County Council Maintained Schools Co-ordinated Admission Scheme. STATING A PREFERENCE FOR ASHBURY C.E. SCHOOL All applications will be treated in line with Oxfordshire County Council‟s coordinated admissions scheme. All applications should be completed on the common application form of the LA in which the child lives. 1 a) Parents (see note 1) of pre-school age children in the traditional school catchment area need to complete and return the Common Application Preference Form (CAPF) found at the back of the admission and transfer booklet “Information for Parents Oxfordshire Primary Schools Admissions and Transfers” published by Oxfordshire County Council and sent to all known prospective parents. Parents living in another LA should complete the LA‟s common application form and return it to that LA. It is important that forms are returned by 15th January 2014, the national deadline for receipt of applications, to ensure that preferences are known at the time allocations to schools are determined. Most children in the Foundation Stage at Ashbury School will attend full time. Parents will also be requested to complete the school‟s “Pupil Profile” form on which general information is collected after a place has been allocated. Parents have the right to defer entry at reception (foundation stage 1) until later in the school year or request a part-time place if this is in the best interest of the child. If parents chose either of these options, this must be discussed with the headteacher so that a commencement date may be agreed. However, the law states that children must attend school, full time in the term beginning in January, April or September following their fifth birthday. In no circumstance will Governors consider an early admission to the reception class i.e. for children who will not reach the age of five until September 2015 or later. b) In year applications from parents of children aged over 5, who have already begun education at another school should contact the school office (address above or telephone 01793 710259). In year applications for all year groups for the school year 2014-2015 will be administered by the board of governors in accordance with the published admissions scheme. Parents should keep their child‟s present Head Teacher informed of their intention to move their child to Ashbury School. Parents are also requested to complete the school‟s “Pupil Profile” form on which general information is collected before the child is admitted and after a place has been allocated. The governors will adhere to the Oxfordshire Fair Access Protocol and children falling within its remit will be offered a place as soon as possible. c) Late Applications of children who would normally enter the reception class as foundation age children will be accepted and dealt with in accordance with the Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme if there is sufficient space. If there is no space, parents may opt to put their child on the waiting list. If the child resides outside the school‟s normal catchment area, then parents are requested to inform their local school Head Teacher of their intention to have their child educated at Ashbury School. Please also see page 3 “Waiting List”. Only one application will be considered during a school year, unless there is a material change of circumstances. OVER SUBSCRIPTION CRITERIA Children with a Statement of Special Educational Need naming Ashbury School will always be offered places. If there is then greater demand for admission than there are places available, the following criteria will be applied in the order set out below: 1. Looked after children and children who were looked after, but ceased to be because they were adopted or immediately being looked after became subject to a residence order or special guardianship order (see note 2). 2. Children (or a parent) who have exceptional medical or social needs that make it essential that they attend Ashbury School rather than any other. These needs must be fully supported by written evidence from the appropriate professional person involved with the family (see Note 3). 2 3. Those children who have a sibling (see note 4) on roll at the time of the application (or for whom an offer of a place at the school has been accepted) who is expected to still be in attendance at the time of entry to the school. 4. Children with a normal home address (see note 5) in the traditional catchment area i.e. the ecclesiastical parishes of Ashbury and Compton Beauchamp or resident in the villages of Upper Lambourn, Lambourn and the Lambourn area. A map of the traditional catchment area is available to view in the school office or by post (please call the office on 710259). 5. Children who have attended Ashbury Pre-school (see note 6). 6. All other children. If there are more applicants than places available for any one category, priority will be given within each category to those children whose normal home address (see note 5) is closest to the school using the nearest designated public route as defined on the Children Young People & Families Directorate System. If two children have identical distance measurements there will be a random allocation in the presence of an independent person. In cases where there is one place available and the next child in line is from a multiple birth, all children from the multiple birth would be offered a place. Requests from parents for places outside a normal age group will be considered carefully e.g. for those who have missed education due to ill health. Each case will be considered on its own merits and circumstances. However, cases will not normally be agreed without a consensus that to do so would be in the pupil‟s interests. The governors will ask relevant professionals for their opinion on the case. DECISIONS In the case of over subscription where there are more applications than places available, an admission sub-committee of the Governors will make decisions before the commencement of the admission year. Parents will be notified of the decision according to the timetable in their home LA‟s booklet. WAITING LIST If there are no places available parents will be invited to put their name down on the school waiting list, until such times as a space becomes available. The Governors will convene a meeting with the head teacher to reconsider this and any other application. The applications will be considered in order of over-subscription criteria, not date of application. APPEALS Parents who are dissatisfied with the Governors‟ decision have the right to appeal and details of the procedure are as follows: A written intention to appeal should be made to the Chair of School Governors via the school office within 20 school days from the date of the refusal letter (address given above). On receipt of the written appeal, the Governors will inform the Oxford Diocesan Board for Education, who will convene an appeals panel. ADMISSIONS 2012-2013 Number of applicants Number of admissions Number of appeals 6 6 0 CONTACT INFORMATION 3 Further information or a visit can be arranged by contacting the Head Teacher at the address given at the top of the first sheet or by telephoning (01793) 710259. Additional details regarding admission arrangements can be found in the school prospectus and the school policy induction pack, which all parents will receive prior to their child starting school. Signed: (Chair of Governors) (Headteacher) Last Review: January 2013 Next review: October 2013 The governing body has used all best efforts to ensure that this policy complies with all relevant legislation including that on infant class sizes and equal opportunities. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… Notes Note 1 “Parent” is defined in law (The Education Act 1996) as either: • any person who has „parental responsibility‟ (defined in the Children Act 1989) for the child or young person; or • any person who has care of the child or young person.