St. Anne’s CE Primary School
Admissions Policy (Reception and
The ethos of this school is to provide an inclusive environment where children learn and flourish in a setting shaped by Christian values.
The Governing Body is responsible for the admission of pupils to St. Anne’s Church of England School and admits 30 pupils to the reception class each year. This admission limit has been agreed between the Governing Body and the Local Education Authority and applies to the year 2009.
1. Children looked after by a local authority. A 'Looked After Child' is a child in the care of a local authority or provided with accommodation by that authority.
2. Children with an exceptional and professionally supported medical or social need for a place at this school. This must be supported by written evidence, e.g. from a specialist health professional, social worker, or educational psychologist which sets out the reasons why this school is the most suitable school and the difficulties that would be caused if the child had to attend another school.
3. Children with at least one parent who is a regular worshipper* at St. Anne’s,
4. Children with a sibling (Blood relatives, step-siblings, half siblings, adopted and foster siblings living at the same address) in the school at the time of admission.
5. Children who live within the school’s priority area (see attached map) with at least one parent who
(i) is a regular worshipper* at other C of E churches,
(ii) is a regular worshipper* of other churches belonging to the Council of Churches for
(iii) is a regular worshipper * of another religious faith
6. Children living outside the priority area in order of categories 5(i), (ii) and (iii) above.
7. Children who live within the school’s priority area
8. Children who live outside the priority area.
* by ‘regular worshipper’ and ‘member’ the Governors understand a person to have attended church on at least two Sundays every month over the last year and who, in Church of England terms, would be a confirmed communicant or undergoing preparation for Confirmation, or, in Free Church terms would be a Church Member or undergoing preparation for Church Membership. With respect to other faiths, regular worshipper is understood to mean participation in collective worship at least twice a month over the last year
If there are more applications than places in any category priority will be given to those who live nearest to the school by the shortest walking distance as measured by Wandsworth Council GIS system. The permanent address of the parent/ carer with whom the child is living on the closing date for applications will be used for this purpose. Parents must not use a business address, childminder's or relative's address or any address other than the home as defined above. The information you provide will be checked and you will be asked for proof of the home address. An offer based on a false address or any other false information will be withdrawn.
Applications for Reception class must be submitted to the school by 15th January 2010 at the latest for admission in September 2010. Please note that your child is not guaranteed a place in the main school if they attend St. Anne’s Nursery.
Late applications
The School will consider late applications in accordance with the procedure in the local authority’s co-ordinated scheme. In essence, this means that late applicants will be considered after the initial round of offers is made; where the school is oversubscribed this is likely to reduce considerably your chance of gaining a place.
Parents/Carers of children who have not been offered a place at the school may ask for their child’s name to be placed on a waiting list. The waiting list will be operated using the criteria listed above. Placing a child’s name on the waiting list does not guarantee that a place will become available. This does not prevent parents from exercising their right to appeal against the decision not to offer a place.
The school is part of the locally agreed co-ordination scheme and the timescales for applications to be received and processed are those agreed with the local authority. Parents must complete the Local Authority’s Common Application Form (CAF) and return the form to the Authority; if applying for a place at this School, parents must name this School as one of the preferences on the CAF. Parents who wish to apply for a place under the church criteria (3, 5 and 6) must also complete the school’s supplementary form and return this to the School. Failure to return the supplementary form will mean that the school cannot consider the application under the church criteria, in this case the application will be considered under the next most appropriate criteria based on the information the CAF.
Tie breaker
In the event that two or more applicants have equal right to a place under any of the above criteria and there are insufficient places, the Governing Body will use distance, in the first instance, to decide between applicants; if applicants live equidistant from the school the Governing Body will draw lots to decide between applicants.
Appeals
Parents who are not offered a place for their child have the right to appeal to an independent appeal panel. Parents wishing to appeal should obtain an appeal form from the school. The form should be sent to reach the Clerk to the Appeal panel, c/o the School, within 14 days of the date of the letter confirming the governors’ decision not to offer a place. Should some appeals be unsuccessful, the governing body will not consider further applications from those parents within the same academic year unless there have been significant and material changes in their circumstances.
Special educational needs
Parents of pupils who have a statement of special educational needs are required to apply for school places separately through the local authority from whom advice is available. If a child with a statement is placed in the school by the local authority before the normal admission round, the number of places available to other applicants will be reduced.