Admission to School Information for Parents 2020-2021 PUBLISHED OCTOBER 2019 This booklet is intended to provide general information about Carmarthenshire’s Nursery, Primary, Secondary and Special Schools for the academic year 2020-2021 and is correct at the time of publication. You are asked to note, therefore, that it is possible that information such as the number of pupils at the school will change between the date this document is published and the date the pupil starts at the school. It is equally possible that there will be legislative, policy or school re-organisation matters which may impact upon the information provided in this document. If you require this document in any other format please contact the School Admissions Unit, Department for Education and Children on (01267) 246449. This booklet can be found on our Website 2 Information for Parents 2020 Introduction A Thank you for expressing an interest in applying for a place in one of our schools. We are fortunate in having many excellent schools and staff of the highest quality in Carmarthenshire. We appreciate that choosing a school can be a challenge but we recognise the importance of this decision to you as parents or carers. This booklet is designed to support you in that process and includes rgeneral info mation on our schools, advice on how and when you need to make an application for a school place, the process of awarding places and a range of policies such as school transport which may be releva nt to your circumstances. Prior to finalising your choice we advise you to contact and visit the schools in your area to discuss with them the provision available and your individual circumstances. Information will also be available on the individual school websites. Please be aware that admission to your preferred school is not guarae nte d. There are strict limits on the number of pupils that can be eadmid tt to each school. Should there be more applications than places available, the applications received by the closing date must legally be processed first with the over-subscription criteria, as detailed in this booklet, used to prioritise the award of the places available. To avoid disappointment and maximise the chance of obtaining a place at your preferred school, please ensure you submit your application by the specified closing date. We look forward to welcoming your son/daughter to one of our schools and wish them every success. We endeavour to ensure they leave our school system both well educated and well qualified. Gareth Morgans D irector of Education and Children’s Services Information for Parents 2020 3 Contents A. Admissions to Carmarthenshire Schools .............................. 5 1. Admission Authorities ................................................................. 5 2. When to apply - Admissions Timetable.................................. 7 3. Age to start School – School Year Groups/Ages.................. 8 4. Moving from Primary to Secondary School.......................... 10 5. Choosing a school ......................................................................... 12 6. Admission to school at other times of the year................... 15 7. How to apply – completing the application form .............. 16 8. Awarding places – over subscription criteria ....................... 19 9. Notification of Admission............................................................ 22 10. Admission Appeals ........................................................................ 23 11. Admission to Voluntary Aided schools................................... 24 B. Information on Education and Learning ............................... 32 1. School Terms and Holidays ......................................................... 32 2. School Curriculum.......................................................................... 33 3. Teaching of Welsh and English in Schools............................. 36 4. Public Examinations ...................................................................... 41 5. Exclusion of Pupils ......................................................................... 41 6. School Activities Charges ............................................................ 41 7. School Leaving Date...................................................................... 41 8. School Governing Bodies ............................................................ 42 C. Services to Pupils ........................................................................ 43 1. Meeting Additional/Special Educational Needs ................. 43 2. Transport ........................................................................................... 46 3. School Meals and Pupil Development Grant ....................... 54 4. Education Maintenance Allowance – EMA............................ 58 5. Education Welfare .......................................................................... 58 6. Trust Funds........................................................................................ 59 7. Careers Service ................................................................................ 59 8. Family Information Service ......................................................... 60 9. The Childcare Offer ........................................................................ 61 10. Healthy schools............................................................................... 62 11. Sustainable Development And Global Citizenship............ 63 D. Carmarthenshire schools and pupils Summary.................... 65 E. Map of schools............................................................................. 66 F. Schedule of Schools ................................................................... 68 4 Information for Parents 2020 Section A - A Admissions to Carmarthenshire Schools Key Facts • There is no automatic right to a place at a school. • You must make an application to an admissions authority for your child to be admitted to a school. • There are limits on the number of pupils who can be admitted to a school in any one year. Once that limit is reached no further pupils will be admitted. • If you have a child with additional learning needs then you are advised to contact the Headteacher of the school or the Department’s Pupil Progress Officers before applying. • Apply by the deadline dates – see Admissions Timetable. • If you make an application after these dates your application will be treated as being late and will be considered after those received before the deadline. This will reduce the chances of obtaining a place for your child at a school of your choice. • If you are offered a place for your child you must accept the place by the date specified or the offer of a place will be withdrawn and the place offered to another pupil. 1. Admission Authorities Enquiries should be made to the relevant Admission Authority Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools in Carmarthenshire School Admissions Unit, Department for Education and Children, Building 2, St David’s Park, Jobs Well Road, Carmarthen, SA31 3HB. Telephone: 01267 246449 E-mail: [email protected] Information for Parents 2020 5 Voluntary Aided Schools in Carmarthenshire A Enquiries regarding Voluntary Aided Church Schools should be made to; Church in Wales Schools Catholic Schools Rev’d John Cecil Mr Paul White Diocesan Director of Education, Diocesan Director of Education, The Vicarage, Steynton, Milford Haven, Diocesan Education Office, Pembrokeshire SA73 1AW. Curial Offices, 27 Convent Street, Greenhill, Tel No: 01646 692974 Swansea. SA1 2BX. E-mail: [email protected] Tel No: 01792 652757 Fax No: 01792 458641 E-mail: [email protected] Neighbouring Local Education Authorities The names, addresses and telephone numbers of neighbouring local education authorities are: CEREDIGION POWYS Strategic Director Learning and Partnerships Head of Schools Service, Ceredigion County Council, Powys County Council, Canolfan Rheidol, Rhodfa Padarn, Powys County Hall, Llanbadarn Fawr, Aberystwyth. SY23 3UE. Spa Road East, Llandrindod Wells, LD1 5LG. Telephone: 01970 633656 Telephone: 01597 826422 SWANSEA NEATH PORT TALBOT Director – People, Director of Education, City and County of Swansea, Leisure and Lifelong Learning, Guild Hall, Swansea, SA1 4PE Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, Telephone: 01792 637521 Civic Centre, Port Talbot. SA13 1PJ PEMBROKESHIRE Telephone: 01639 686868 Director of Children and Schools, Pembrokeshire County Council, County Hall, Haverfordwest. SA61 1TP. Telephone: 01437 764551 6 Information for Parents 2020 Late Applications Late 2. When to apply to When 2. awar be co A ppl Admissions Application Timetable Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools i d cat n e s d id i Deadline date Notification Appeals . Provision Date of Birth Starting School o ere n Range for applying date Closing date s rece d u n i ve t 3 Year old Nursery 1st Sept, 2017 January, April, 31st January, October 2020 No right of i l thoserece d Education to 31st August, September 2021 2020 Appeal after theappl I n (Part Time) 2018 for m at i o n i ve for Pare for 4 Year old 1st September, September 2020, 31st January, 16th April, 2020 1st June, 2020 d before the before i Education 2016 to 31st January or April 2021 2020 or the next cat n working day ts 2020 4-11 August, 2017 i o n (Full time) clos in Secondary 1st September, September 2020 20th December, 1st March, 2020 14th April, 2020 d ea g Education (Moving 2008 to 31st 2019 or the next d d ea l from Primary to August, 2009