Admissions
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ST JUDE’S CE PRIMARY SCHOOL
ADMISSION POLICY 2015-2016
St Jude’s Church of England Primary School has a distinctive Christian ethos which is at the heart of this school and provides an inclusive, caring and supportive environment where children learn and flourish in a setting shaped by Christian values. We welcome applications from all members of the community and we ask all parents to respect the Christian Anglican Foundation ethos of our school and its importance to our community.
The Governors and the Local Authority (LA) have agreed an admission limit of 30 pupils for each year group. The Governors are responsible for the admission arrangements but have to consult the LA before any changes are made. The Governing Body is required to abide by the maximum limits for infant classes i.e. 5, 6, and 7 years old maximum of 30 pupils per class.
All families are expected to uphold the Christian ethos of the school. Applications should be made after the child’s third birthday. The school’s Supplementary Form must be returned to the school by 15th January 2015
23 Foundation Places will be allocates under criteria 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6. (Criterion 1 & 2 will take precedence over Criterion 3, 4, 5 & 6 in that order of priority.) The remaining 7 places will be designated as Open Places and allocated under Criteria 7, 8 & 9. Those who live nearest will be given highest priority in each category.
Foundation applicants, who supply details of their Church commitment but do not meet the criteria, for instance, because they only worship monthly, will be moved to the Open Criteria.
FOUNDATION PLACES (23 places available)
Criterion 1 – Looked after children or previously looked after children (see Note 1).
Criterion 2 – Children with an exceptional and professionally supports medical or social need for a place at St Jude’s school (see Note 5).
Criterion 3 – Children who worship with their parent(s) or carer(s) regularly at the Church of St Matthews with St Jude’s in the parish of Brixton and who live in the parish or for whom this is the nearest Church of England school, who have a brother or sister already attending St Jude’s at the time of entry. (see Note 3)
Criterion 4 – Children who worship with their parent(s) or carer(s) regularly at the Church of St Matthews with St Jude’s in the parish of Brixton and who live in the parish or for whom this is the nearest Church of England school.
Criterion 5 – Children who worship with their parent(s) or carer(s), regularly in a neighbouring Church of England Parish for whom St Jude’s is the nearest Church of England school. These Churches must be a full member of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI), who have a brother or sister already attending St Jude’s school at the time of entry. (see Note 3)
Criterion 6 – Children who worship with their parent(s) or carer(s), regularly in another Christian Church for whom St Jude’s is the nearest Church of England school. These Churches must be a full member of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI).
Application for Foundation places will not be considered without the completed Supplementary Form and Minister’s supporting letter.
OPEN PLACES (7 places available)
Criterion 7 – Looked after children or previously looked after children. (see Note 1)
Criterion 8 – Children who, at the time of entry have a brother or sister still attending St Jude’s school (see Note 3)
Criterion 9 – Children in order of nearness of the home to the school (see Note 4).
Tie-breaker
In the event that two or more applicants having an 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.
Notes:
1. A looked after child is a child who is (a) in the care of a local authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see definition in section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989). A previously looked after child is a child who was adopted, or subject to a residence order, or special guardianship order, immediately following having been looked after. The Governors will require written confirmation that the child is in public care and will be so at the time of admission to the school.
2. Faithfully and regularly means attending worship at least twice a month over a period of one year prior to the closing date for applications (15th January). When a parent or carer is new to the area, the name and the address of the Minister of religion at the previous Church MUST also be given. Governors will seek evidence of regular Church attendance.
- The parent(s) or carer(s) must ensure that the Minister’s form has been completed and returned to the school, before the admissions procedure begins, by 15th January.
3. Past family associations with the school cannot be considered unless a brother or sister is still at the school AT THE TIME OF ENTRY, when the child is due to start. If the address given at the time of the application differs from the address at the time of entry, the Governors reserve the right to withdraw the place if you move further away from the school. Brothers and sisters are blood relatives, step-siblings, half-siblings, adopted and foster siblings living at the same address.
4. Proximity to the school is measured by a straight line distance in which those who live nearer are given highest priority. Proof of address of the parent(s)/carer(s) and child is required. Applications are considered on the child’s home address only.
5. Medical or social need: 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 St Jude’s is the most suitable school and the difficulties that would be caused if the child had to attend another school.
6. Special educational needs: Parents 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 admissions round, the number of places available to other applicants will be reduced.
Please note:
a) St Jude’s 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 Local Authority; if applying for a place at St Jude’s, parents must name this school as one of their preferences on the CAF. Parents who wish to apply for a Foundation place must also complete the school’s Supplementary Form and return completed to the school. Failure to return the Supplementary Form will mean that the school cannot consider the application under its Foundation Criteria: in this case the application will be considered under the Open Places.
b) St Jude’s is normally oversubscribed.
c) St Jude’s operates a waiting list which is ordered in accordance with the above admission criteria: length of time on the waiting list is irrelevant. Parents may request in writing to join the waiting list.
d) St Jude’s will consider late applications in accordance with the procedure and timescales operated by the Local Authority and published in their admissions information booklet.
For every application a photocopy of proof of address is required.
Appeals: Parent(s) or Carer(s) who are not offered a place for their child have the right to appeal to an Independent Appeals Panel. Parent(s) or Carer(s) wishing to appeal should obtain an appeal form from the school. The form should be sent to reach the Clerk to the Appeals Panel, c/o St Jude’s, within 20 days of the date of the letter confirming the Governors’ decision not to offer a place. Should an appeal be unsuccessful, the Governing Body will not consider further applications from those parent(s) or carer(s) within the same academic year unless there have been significant and material changes in their circumstances.
