ADMISSIONS POLICY

• You can download a paper copy of our admissions policy and the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION FORM from the Parents Page. 

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School is a voluntary aided school. As such the Governing Body controls the admissions to the school.As a Catholic school within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Plymouth, our primary responsibility is to provide an education that supports Catholic parents with their responsibility to share their faith with their children. As a result, Catholic children are prioritised in our admissions criteria.That said, there are children in our school who are not Catholics and they are of course valued members of our school community. Our aim is not to preach Catholicism but to respect the denomination or faith tradition of each individual. We strive to be a Christian community that nurtures the spirituality of all members of the school community, regardless of their personal faith background. 

ADMISSIONS PROCESS

The Admissions Committee meets during the Spring Term to review the applications for admission to the school in the following academic year in accordance with the Planned Admission Number (PAN) established in conjunction with the LA. This is currently 30 pupils. Only those applications received by the published deadline date will be reviewed. Information about application procedures, timetables for applications, waiting lists and consideration of late applications as agreed within the Co-ordinated admission schemes can be viewed at www.devon.gov.uk/admissions or by calling My Devon on 0845 155 1019. Children whose fifth birthday occurs between 1 September and the end of February will be admitted in September. Children whose fifth birthday occurs between 1 March and 31 August will be admitted in January. Information relating to special problems or difficulties should be conveyed to the Headteacher in confidence.As a Christian community, our school acknowledges that some children are more vulnerable than others. We are committed to playing our part in reaching out to vulnerable and marginalized children. Where, in discussion with the Local Authority and the school, St Joseph’s is named on a child’s Statement of Special Educational Needs, that child will be admitted before any other child ranked by the criteria below. Children in Local Authority care (looked-after children) are given priority. 

OUR OVERSUBSCRIPTION CRITERIA

1)   Children in care.

2) A baptised Catholic child. (Evidence: baptismal certificate or signature of a Catholic priest confirming their knowledge of the child’s baptism.)

3) A child currently enrolled in a programme of preparation for baptism into the Catholic Church. (Evidence: Signature of a Catholic priest confirming the enrolment.)

4) A child whose normal residence is with at least one parent or carer who is a baptised Catholic. (Evidence: parent’s/carer’s baptismal certificate or signature of a Catholic priest confirming their knowledge of the parent’s/carer’s baptism.)

5) A child who has a sibling (see definition 1 below) who will still be attending the school when the child is due to enter. (Evidence: the Supplementary Form will allow you to give the sibling’s name.)

6)   A child who is a member of a Christian Church. (Evidence: letter from the designated minister of that church confirming the pupil’s/family’s membership.)

7)   A child who is a member of another faith tradition (see definition 2 below). (Evidence: letter from a designated minister of that religion confirming the pupil’s/family’s membership.)

8) A child whose parent(s)/guardian(s) are specifically seeking education for their child in the Catholic Christian tradition. (Evidence: parent’s/guardian’s signature to this effect on supplementary form.)

9)   Other children whose parent(s)/guardian(s) are seeking admission for them at the school. 

APPLYING FOR ADMISSION

If you decide to include St Joseph’s as one of your preferences on the Common Application Form you must also complete the ‘St Joseph’s RC School Admissions Criteria: Supplementary Form’. This form is available from the school and from the school website.The Supplementary Form allows us to see which of the above criteria applies to the child for whom you are seeking admission. It only asks for the information required to apply the above criteria fairly and accurately to each application.

Tie-breaker

When two or more children meet the same highest criterion, priority will be determined on the basis of distance between home and school as a direct line from the entrance of the property (residential dwelling) to the school as plotted on Geographical Information System (GIS) (ie the shorter the distance the higher the priority);If the tie-breaker is not sufficient to distinguish between applicants in a particular category, there will be a random ballot as set out in the School Admissions Code of Practice. This will be undertaken by the LA Admissions Manager in the presence of a school representative by the operation of an electronic random number generator            

In reviewing these applications, the Committee shall adhere to the latest published admissions criteria which have been approved by the Governing Body, the Diocese and the LA.           

Where evidence is required to back up an application, the Committee shall ensure that this has been provided. The LA has confirmed that it is the responsibility of applicants to check and supply the correct supporting information. 

Definitions

1. A sibling is where the child for whom admission is sought has a full or half/’step’ brother or sister normally resident in the same household.

2. Examples of faith traditions may include Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism.The Committee shall approve a list of approved applications in order of priority. 

Deferred Admission

Deferred admission is where, when you have been offered a place, you can decide to delay your child’s actual start date until they reach statutory school age, within the same academic year.You will need to apply as normal by the deadline and, after a place is offered, you must inform the Head teacher that you wish to defer.  Your child’s place at the school will be kept open for them to join at the later date. 

Delayed Admission

This is where you wish your child to start an academic year later than normal but still entering at the Reception stage.  Such an arrangement must be supported with medical/social/educational evidence.  A place cannot be guaranteed a year in advance.  Please contact the School Admissions Team for further information on 0845 155 1019.  It is advisable to submit an application on time in any event whilst your request for delayed admission is considered by all parties. 

Waiting Lists

Under the co-ordinated admissions scheme, the Local Authority, in partnership with the governing body, will keep a waiting list for reception places until the end of the autumn term, 2010. At the parent’s request a child may be placed on the waiting list.  A child’s actual numerical position on the waiting list is not an accurate indication of their eligibility for admission to school.  The numerical position may change day to day depending on the ongoing applications for places at the school.  All admissions are judged solely against the school’s admissions criteria.  Being placed on the waiting list does not guarantee a child’s automatic or eventual admission to the school. Children who are allocated to the school in accordance with the Fair Access Protocol, will take precedence over any child already on the waiting list. 

IN-YEAR ADMISSIONS

Applications from children moving into the area or wishing to transfer between schools will be assessed against all criteria in this policy, in the same way as with applications for initial admission.           

In accordance with the law, only the number of children specified by the PAN shall be admitted into Key Stage 1 classes.

All in-year admissions into Key Stages 1 and 2 shall be notified in writing (email) to the Committee.

In the event of applications for admission to the school in Key Stage 2:

(i) in view of the fact that the PAN has been set with regard to the size of the accommodation, the maximum number of children permissible in each KS2 class shall normally be 30;

(ii) baptised Catholic children who apply for admission in KS2 shall be admitted up to a maximum number of 32 in any KS2 class.

APPEALS

An appeal against refusal to admit must be made in writing by a parent to the Local Authority, following the instructions contained in the First Step booklet. 

ROLE OF THE GOVERNING BODYLocal consultation on admissions arrangements shall be carried out in accordance with the Code of Practice and within the ‘relevant area’ as determined by the Local Authority. The Governing Body must determine its admission arrangements and notify all those with whom they have consulted by 15 April of each year (see the latest Governors’ Guide to the Law).