Starting School A guide to policy and admission arrangements 2022-23 CONTENTS Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 5 School Term Dates and Holidays 2022/23 .................................................................... 6 Section 1 .......................................................................................................................... 7 Primary and Secondary Education Admission and Transfer Arrangements ............. 7 1.1 Choosing a School ................................................................................................ 8 1.2 Admission Limit ..................................................................................................... 10 1.3 Oversubscription Criteria ..................................................................................... 11 1.4 Addresses.............................................................................................................. 12 1.5 Multiple Birth Children (e.g. twins or triplets). .................................................... 12 1.6 Children of UK service personnel ....................................................................... 12 1.7 Children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs .............................. 12 1.8 Waiting Lists ........................................................................................................ 12 2.1 Primary Education .............................................................................................. 14 2.2 Reduction of Infant Class Sizes ..................................................................... 14 2.3 Admission to an Early Years Placement at a Nursery School ..................... 14 2.4 Admission to Nursery School .......................................................................... 15 2.5 Admission to Infant Schools or Infant Department within Primary Schools ..................................................................................................................................... 15 2.6 Transfer to Junior Schools ................................................................................ 15 2.7 Changing Schools: Primary Education ........................................................... 15 2.8 Admission to Secondary Schools ..................................................................... 16 2.9 Changing Secondary School .......................................................................... 16 2.10 Applying for a Place ........................................................................................ 16 2.11 Late Applications ........................................................................................... 17 2.12 Withdrawing Offers of Places......................................................................... 17 2.13 Sixth Form Admissions ........................................................................................ 17 2.14 Timetable for Admission to Schools in September 2022 ................................. 18 2.15 What Happens if your Child is Refused a Place? ........................................ 19 2.16 Registering your Appeal ................................................................................. 19 1 2.17 Disability Discrimination ................................................................................... 20 2.18 Usage of Accommodation ......................................................................... 20 2.19 Admission Forum ............................................................................................ 20 2.20 Welsh Language Policy .................................................................................. 21 2.21 The teaching of Welsh as a second language in English Medium Schools. ..................................................................................................................... 21 2.22 List of Schools .................................................................................................... 22 2.23 English Medium Nursery and Primary Schools ................................................. 22 2.24 Welsh Medium Nursery and Primary Schools .................................................. 31 2.25 Voluntary Aided Primary School....................................................................... 33 2.26 3 to 18 School ..................................................................................................... 33 2.27 Secondary Schools ............................................................................................ 34 2.28 Welsh Medium Secondary School ................................................................... 36 2.29 Special School .................................................................................................... 37 2.30 Pupil Referral Unit ............................................................................................... 37 2.31 Examples of Secondary Schools Attended in Neighbouring Authorities ..... 38 2.32 Secondary School Transfers ............................................................................. 39 2.33 Map Showing the Location of Schools ............................................................ 42 2.34 English Medium Secondary School Catchment Areas .................................. 43 2.35 Welsh Medium Primary School Catchment Areas ......................................... 44 Section 3 - St Helens Roman Catholic Primary School Admissions ...................... 45 3.1 Over subscription Criteria Order of Priority ................................................ 45 3.2 Multiple Birth Children (e.g. twins or triplets) ..................................................... 46 3.3 Waiting List ......................................................................................................... 46 Section 4 - Early Years Education ................................................................................ 48 4.1 Early Years Education - Introduction Guidelines for Parents ................. 48 4.2 Are the Part Time Places Free? ........................................................................ 49 4.3 How do I know the setting is a quality provider? ..................................... 49 4.4 How will I know that my child is receiving appropriate Early Years Education? ............................................................................................................... 49 4.5 How Do I Access the Scheme within a Non-Maintained Setting? ............ 50 2 4.6 Childcare Offer for Wales ................................................................................. 50 4.7 Non-Maintained Early Year Settings – Day Nurseries ........................................ 51 4.8 Non-Maintained Early Year Settings – Playgroups – English Medium ............. 52 4.9 Non-Maintained Early Year Settings – Cylch Meithrin ...................................... 53 Section 5 – School Curriculum ..................................................................................... 54 5.1 Learning in Foundation Phase ...................................................................... 54 5.2 Key Stage 2 ........................................................................................................ 54 5.3 A New Curriculum for Wales – Foundation Phase to Key Stage 4 ....... 55 5.4 Transition to Secondary School .................................................................... 56 5.5 The National Literacy and Numeracy framework (LNF) ........................ 56 5.6 National Reading and Numeracy Tests ......................................................... 57 5.7 The Welsh Baccalaureate ................................................................................ 57 5.8 How Are Children Assessed? ............................................................................ 57 5.9 Access to Documents ....................................................................................... 58 5.10 School Complaints ......................................................................................... 59 5.11 Making a formal complaint ......................................................................... 59 5.12 Further Information ........................................................................................ 59 5.13 Other Learning complaints .......................................................................... 59 Section 6 – Learning, Education and Inclusion – promoting inclusion, wellbeing and supporting children to learn ................................................................................ 60 Section 7 - Safeguarding in Education ....................................................................... 62 Section 8 – Provision of Home to School/ College Transport ................................... 63 Learner Travel Policy, Information and Arrangements .......................................... 63 8.1 Statutory Provision of Free Transport .................................................................. 63 8.2 Discretionary Provision of Free Transport ........................................................... 64 8.3 Transport Provision ............................................................................................... 64 8.4 Parental Preference ............................................................................................ 65 8.5 Transport for Children with Additional Needs ................................................... 65 8.6 Transport to Welsh Medium