Admissions policy
Admissions Procedures
All applications are administered through the Warwickshire Local Authority Schools Admission Service.
Statutory school age is the term following the child’s fifth birthday. Children may start school at the beginning of the school year in which they are 5. Parents can defer entry to a date within the academic year but no later than the child’s statutory school age. They should apply in the normal way at the normal time and discuss the issues with the Headteacher.
Parents may put their children’s names down on the waiting list after their second birthday, but must apply formally on the common application form in the school year prior to their child’s admission. For applications for reception and junior entry, the governors have adopted the closing dates and policy adopted by the County.
Late applications can be made for the year of entry, but will be considered only after those who applied on time. Where no places are available, the applicant will be entered on the waiting list held by the County until the start of the Autumn term.
Planned Admission Number: 30 in Reception year and an additional 30 for Year 3.
There are 30 places available in the Foundation Stage, 30 places in Year 1, 30 places in Year 2 and 60 places in total per year group in Key Stage 2.
Arrangements for the children transferring from High Meadow Infant School will follow those of the LA.
Priority Area:
The parish of Coleshill, south of the River Cole.
In addition, the parishes of Little and Great Packington.
The parish of Coleshill north of the River Cole for entry at 7+.
Definition of sibling/brother or sister attending the school at the time of admission:
Brother or sister (including half brother or half sister, adopted, step brother or step sister) living at the same home address as the child applying for the place. A sibling connection will not be accepted if the original school place was obtained by using fraudulent of false information.
Definition of home address:
Where the child normally resides/sleeps when s/he attends school. Addresses involved in child minding arrangements (professional or with relatives) are excluded. Where a child lives with two parents in separate addresses the qualifying address will be that where the child spends (i.e. sleeps) the majority of the school week. If the child spends exactly equal amounts of time in the two addresses the parents themselves will need to nominate which address they wish to be the child’s main address for school admission purposes.
Twins, Triplets etc.
Where the final place in a year group is offered to one of twins (or triplets etc.) it is normally our policy to admit the other twin (triplet etc.) even if that means going above the admission number. Twins and children from multiple births will be treated as “excepted children” under the terms of the infant class size regulations, when one of the siblings is the 30th child admitted.
Looked After Children
Children in public care (Looked After Children) are recognised as being a disadvantage group. Therefore they will be placed in Category 1.
A looked after child is only considered as such if the local authority confirms the child will be in public care when the child is admitted to the school.
Timetable for applications:
The school will follow the time schedules of the LA, for children wishing to transfer at 4+ and 7+. All applications for these year groups should be made on the common application form by the County’s closing dates. Alternatively, parents can apply on line at www.warwickshire.gov.uk/admissions.
Admission Criteria:
Should numbers exceed the above, the following criteria will be applied:
- Children looked after by a local authority (in line with section 22 of the children Act) and children who were previously looked after but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or became subject to a residence order or special guardianship order).
- Children living in the priority area who have a brother or sister at the school at the time of admission.
- Other children living in the priority area.
- Children living outside the priority area who have a brother or sister at the school at the time of
admission. - Children living outside the priority area who have attended Sunflowers Nursery for a minimum of one year at ten hours per week immediately prior to beginning school.
- Children living outside the priority area whose parents/carers are involved in regular worship at Coleshill Parish Church or in the work of the church. This would mean parents/carers who attend church at least once a month for a twelve month period. A supporting letter from the vicar should be attached to the application form.
- Children living outside the priority area whose parents/carers are involved in regular worship or in the work of churches of other Christian denominations. A supporting letter from the minister should be attached to the application form.
- All other children.
Notes
a) The governing body have a duty to admit children with a statement of special educational needs, providing the child’s needs can be met within the school. This may reduce the number of places available to other applicants.
b) If there is over subscription the governors will then give priority in each category to children living nearest to the school. Distance will be calculated by the straight line measurement from the address point location co-ordinate of the applicant’s home address (as set by Ordnance Survey) to the centre point (‘centroid’) of the school.
c) Parents/carers have a right to appeal to an independent appeals panel if a place is refused to their child. Details of the appeal process are available from the school.
d) The governing body will not consider a repeat application in the same academic year unless there has been a significant change in circumstances relevant to the application.
e) Any pupil permanently excluded from school is referred to the Area Behaviour Management Panel in order that consideration can be given to the appropriateness of a return to a mainstream school. The governing body will consider admitting a child on the recommendation of the panel, even if that particular year group is full. This avoids the situation of all excluded pupils going to one particular
school in an area if that school is the only one with vacancies.
f) The Governors support the County’s In Year Fair Access Protocol. Applications made later than admission or transfer groups (mid year admissions known as casual admissions) should also be made through the Local Authority Admissions Service. If the school is full in the year group another place can be offered provided that:
No other applicants have been refused places in the same year group – wherever they live.
The child is living or moving into the school’s priority area (evidence required).
The admissions will not breach the class size limit for infants.
The school is willing.
g) Pupils at Sunflowers Nursery seeking admission to Coleshill C of E Primary School will be considered in accordance with the above criteria. Attendance at Sunflowers Nursery does not automatically mean that the child will be admitted to Coleshill C of E Primary School.
For late applications for other year groups, if the year group is over subscribed the school will run a waiting list and will continue it up to the start of the autumn term. Places will be allocated according to the order set out in the criteria for admissions. Parents should be aware that their child’s position on the list can alter depending on other applications with higher priority being made.
