StartingSchool2013:xfer Secondary 2009.qxd 17/08/2012 15:27 Page 1 F o r c h i l d r e n b Starting School o r n b e t w e e n 1 For entry in September 2013 S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 8 a n Apply online at: d 3 www.sutton.gov.uk/admissions 1 A u g Children, Young People and Learning Dictorate u s t 2 0 0 9 1 StartingSchool2013:xfer Secondary 2009.qxd 17/08/2012 15:27 Page 2 Index page 3 Introduction 4 Applying online 5 Key dates 2012/13 6 Completing your application 10 Guide to applying for a primary school place 10 Which schools should I apply for? 10 How do I apply? 11 How are places allocated? 11 What if I have medical or social reasons for wanting a school? 11 When will I know the result of my application? 11 What if my application is late or I change my preferences? 12 What is a waiting list? 12 Can I appeal if I don’t get the place I want? 13 What if my child has special educational needs? 14 How places were allocated last year 15 Index of Sutton primary schools 18 Location of Sutton primary schools 20 Admission criteria for Community Schools 21 Admission criteria for Academies 22 Admission criteria for Voluntary-Aided and Foundation Schools 26 Schools in neighbouring boroughs 28 Independent Schools 28 Frequently asked questions 2 www.sutton.gov.uk/admissions StartingSchool2013:xfer Secondary 2009.qxd 17/08/2012 15:27 Page 3 Introduction Dear Parents and Carers, This brochure aims to provide parents and carers of children living in Sutton with the information they need to apply for a primary school place in this or any other local authority area for September 2013 Please keep this brochure until you have received and accepted an offer of a primary school place for your child. It is important to note the key dates on page 5 to ensure your application is considered fully and correctly. If your child attends a nursery attached to a primary school you must make a separate application for Reception entry. In Sutton community schools no priority is given to children who are in an attached nursery. Sutton, together with many areas of London and beyond, is experiencing growth in birth rates which is increasing the numbers of children applying for primary school. We are constantly reviewing demand and the supply of places to ensure all children are able to access a school place. Details of planned expansions for this year are shown on page 17. If you have any questions regarding school admissions, please contact: School Admissions Team Children, Young People and Learning Directorate London Borough of Sutton Civic Offices St Nicholas Way Sutton SM1 1EA Email: [email protected] Website: www.sutton.gov.uk/admissions www.sutton.gov.uk/admissions 3 StartingSchool2013:xfer Secondary 2009.qxd 17/08/2012 15:27 Page 1 Applying online Parents of children living in the London Borough of Sutton can apply online for a primary place at: www.sutton.gov.uk/admissions from 1 September 2012. Last year, 74% of Sutton residents applied online. This has several advantages: • no forms will get lost in the post • the data validation system prevents you from giving incorrect school names or numbers • you will receive an instant email confirmation of your completed application • it is quick and simple, and no paper is involved • there are no postage costs • it is a safe and secure password operated system • you can amend your application right up to the closing date • there is no risk of data input errors once the online form has been completed • you will receive earlier notification of the result of your application. The online application form is straightforward and asks for the same information as the paper form. If you have any doubts about the information you should enter, please see page 6 of this brochure for details. If you do not have access to the Internet at home, you can make an online application for your child free of charge at any of the Sutton Libraries. Please contact your local library for information about Internet access. However, you must have an e-mail address in order to apply online; if you do not already have an email address, the online system will allow you to create one. Once you have registered to apply online, please keep a note of your user name and password below. You will then be able to return to your application to make amendments until the statutory closing date of 15 January 2013, and to view the outcome on the evening of 17 April 2013. If you apply online, please do not also submit a paper form. Submitting more than one application could, at the very least, delay your application. For online admissions: USER NAME/EMAIL: PASSWORD: REFERENCE NUMBER: 4 www.sutton.gov.uk/admissions StartingSchool2013:xfer Secondary 2009.qxd 17/08/2012 15:27 Page 2 Key dates Date Event 1 September 2012 Online applications may be made from this date Closing date for online applications or paper application forms 15 January 2013 After this date your application will be considered as late Latest date that an application that is late for good reason can 15 February 2013 be accepted. Reasons and evidence must be presented with the application by this date Notification of outcome posted to parents at their home address, 17 April 2013 by first class post Evening of 17 April 2013 Results available for applications submitted online. May to September 2013 Additional offers made as vacancies occur June to July 2013 Admissions appeals When do children start school in Sutton? The law states that your child must be in education at the beginning of the term after he/she reaches 5 years of age. In Sutton, all children are admitted earlier than this. Children born between 1 September 2008 and 31 August 2009 will start primary school in September 2013. In some cases it may be possible to defer your child’s entry until later in the school year or for your child to start part time, but only if your child is under statutory school age. Once you have been offered a place you will need to discuss the possibility with the school if you wish to explore this. www.sutton.gov.uk/admissions 5 StartingSchool2013:xfer Secondary 2009.qxd 17/08/2012 15:27 Page 3 Completing your application We recommend that you apply online (see page 4) via the Sutton website at: www.sutton.gov.uk/admissions If you and your child reside permanently in Sutton, and you cannot apply online, you should use the Common Application Form supplied with this brochure. Each local authority issues its own Common Application Form and, if you do not live in Sutton, you must obtain one from the borough in which you live, regardless of which schools you wish to name as preferences. If you apply online, your application will automatically be directed to the correct borough. You may only complete one application. If you apply online, please do not also complete the paper form. If more than one application is completed for a child, the one with the latest date on it will be accepted and the earlier one will be withdrawn. If you apply online, there are guidance notes to help you and the form will validate as you complete it to ensure mistakes are not made. If you need to complete the paper form, the following notes will help you. It is essential that the application is completed fully and accurately. The paper form is divided into six sections; please ensure that you complete them all. Section 1 – Your child We need your child’s full name, date of birth and gender. The address on the form must be your child's permanent place of residence. It should not be a business, relative or carer/childminder’s address. Nor is it permitted for you to use a temporarily rented address to secure a school place for your child. The address will normally be the parents’ address. If the parents do not live together, it should be the parent with whom the child spends the majority of the time. This will normally be the main address held by the primary school and the address of the parent who receives Child Benefit in respect of the child. An application can only be made from a single address, and only a single application can be made for each child. You are required to provide evidence of your child’s address, which must be a copy of your current council tax bill (if you have a copy). If you do not have your current council tax bill you should indicate whether or not you are the person responsible for paying the council tax for the address given and we will check records for confirmation. If there is a formal equal share custody arrangement between the parents, the address that will be used will normally be the address of the parent who is claiming Child Benefit for the child. If you move address after completing the Common Application Form, you must write to inform us and provide evidence of your new address. The address to be used in the allocation process may vary depending on the date you move. Any offer of a place based on where your child lives is conditional on your child being resident at this address at the closing date for applications or the date specified by the school.