St Christophers CE VA Primary School Langford Gloucestershire GL7 2LA

RE: Consultation on admission arrangements for entry in September 2013

Dear parents, carers and other stakeholders,

The governors of St Christophers CE Primary School are pleased to submit for consultation the attached draft admissions policy covering entry in September 2013.

The consultation is open until March 1st 2012 and we would welcome your responses to the proposed changes as well as your comments on the current arrangements.

Please send your responses by email to office.3555@st-christophers.oxon.sch.uk or in writing for the attention of the governing body at the school address.

Regards,

Dom

Dominic Shaw Chair of Governors

Draft Admissions Policy - Sep 2013-2014

Vision Statement
Our vision is for every child to reach their full potential within a stimulating, healthy and safe environment. We will ensure that every child has the skills to grow into a confident and happy adult through the guidance of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Oxfordshire County Council has fully coordinated admission arrangements for all community, voluntary controlled and voluntary aided schools. Parents (see note 1) may apply for a September entry place by completing a Common Admissions Preference Form (CAPF). The closing date for applications and the date for the offer of places will be in accordance with the Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme, details of which will be common to all schools in the Local Authority (LA) area. Details of the Local Authority (LA) arrangements are in the Oxfordshire Starting School booklet. This explains how parents can express a preference for a school and give reasons for that preference. It should be noted that parents living outside Oxfordshire at the time of application should apply on the common application form of the LA in whose area they live (the home LA) and send the form to that LA. The home LA will also inform parents of the results of their application Late applications will be considered after those received by the deadline. This means that if no places are left after considering all the applications received by the deadline, even if a child fulfils a higher criterion than that under which places have been offered to other applicants, he/she will be unsuccessful. A place cannot be guaranteed if parents fail to give sufficient notice. St Christophers CE School follows the guidance for late admissions as set out in the LA scheme of co-ordination. Whilst infant classes (those where the majority of children will reach the age of 5, 6 or 7 during the school year) must not contain more than 30 pupils with a single school teacher, additional children may be admitted under very limited exceptional circumstances. These children will remain an excepted pupil for the time they are in an infant class or until the class numbers fall back to the current infant class size limit. The definition of excepted children can be seen in note 6. For the year of 2013-14 we can admit 18 children into the reception year and 6 children into year 3. This admissions number is consistent with the requirements of the class size regulations for F1 and Key Stage 1 and will be reviewed annually by the Head Teacher and Governors. Children whose dates of birth lie between 1st September 2008 and 31st August 2009 will be admitted at the beginning of the Autumn Term. Parents may request that a childs entry is deferred to later in the academic year 2013-14 and the school will hold a place if a parent wishes to defer to a point within the 2013-14 entry year; children born between 1 September 2008 and 31 December 2008 must start school no later than the beginning of term 3 (January 2014); children born between 1 January 2009 and 31 March 2009 must start school no later than the beginning of term 4 (April 2014) and children born between 1 April 2009 and 31 August 2009 must start no later than the beginning of term 1 in Year 1. However, if a parent of a summer-born child wishes to defer entry to the start of Year 1, a place cannot be reserved and a separate application for a Year 1 place would need to be made in the summer of 2014. Parents can request that a child attends part-time up to the point when they are of compulsory school age. In such cases, parents should discuss details with the head teacher. The school does not accept applications for the admission of children who will not reach the age of five until September 1st 2014 or later.

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Requests from parents for places outside a normal age group will be considered carefully, e.g. where a child has missed education due to ill health. Each case will be considered on its own merits and circumstances. However, admissions will not normally be agreed without a consensus that to do so is in the best interests of the child. The Governing Body will ask relevant professionals for their opinions on the applications. Those refused places will be informed of their right to appeal. Children with Statements of Special Needs which name the school will always be admitted. If the school is oversubscribed the following criteria will be applied in the order set out below. All applications will be considered equally irrespective of need or ability. Foundation Stage Intake 1. Looked after children and children who were looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted or became subject to a residence order or special guardianship order immediately following having been looked after, whether living within the catchment area or not (evidence will be required to support this). See also note 2. 2. A child with a normal home address (see note 3) within our designated area (see note 5) and with a sibling already in attendance at St Christophers. 3. A child with a normal home address (see note 3) within our designated area (see note 5). 4. A child with a normal home address (see note 3) within the area of the Broadshires and Shill Valley Benefices with a sibling already in attendance at St Christophers (see note 4). 5. A child with a normal home address (see note 3) outside the Broadshires and Shill Valley Benefice (see note 5) with a sibling already in attendance at St Christophers (see note 4). 6. A child with a normal home address (see note 3) within the area of the Broadshires and Shill Valley Benefice (see note 5). 7. All other children In the event of there being too many applications falling under the same criterion, proximity of the childs home to the school as measured by the nearest designated route as used by the LA, with those living nearer being accorded the higher priority, will be used to determine which child should be offered the place. In the unlikely event where there is an identical measurement for two or more applicants, the school will use random allocation with the process being conducted by an independent person to determine who will be offered a place.

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In Year Admissions In-Year Admissions will be permitted provided that there are places available in the relevant year group using the criteria as set out in the relevant admissions policy for the specific year group. St Christophers CE School follows the LA protocol for the in-year admissions of vulnerable children (inyear fair access). In year admission applications should be made by completion of the in-year application form, available from the school office. When this is received the school will consider and then offer or refuse the place. Acceptance of the place should be made to the school by the date on the offer letter. In the event of there being too many applications falling under the same criterion, proximity of the childs home to the school as measured by the nearest designated route as used by the LA, with those living nearer being accorded the higher priority, will be used to determine which child should be offered the place. In the unlikely event where there is an identical measurement for two or more applicants, the school will use random allocation with the process being conducted by an independent person to determine who will be offered a place. Year 3 Intake St Christophers has an additional intake at Year 3. This provides continuity of education for children attending St Peters Infant School, Alvescot. For the year of 2013-14 we can admit 6 children into Year 3. If the school is oversubscribed children with Statements of Special Needs naming St Christophers will always be admitted. The following criteria will be applied in the order set out below. All applications will be considered equally irrespective of need or ability. 1. Looked after children and children who were looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted or became subject to a residence order or special guardianship order immediately following having been looked after, whether living within the catchment area or not (evidence will be required to support this). See also note 2. 2. A child attending St Peters, Alvescot, with a normal home address (see note 3) within our designated area (see note 5). 3. Children with a normal home address (see note 3) within our designated area (see note 5) 4. A child attending St Peters, Alvescot, with a normal home address (see note 3) within the area of the Broadshires and Shill Valley Benefices (see note 5) 5. A child attending St Peters, Alvescot, with a normal home address (see note 3) outside the Broadshires and Shill Valley Benefice (see note 5) 6. All other children In the event of there being too many applications falling under the same criterion, proximity of the childs home to the school as measured by the nearest designated route as used by the LA, with those living nearer being accorded the higher priority, will be used to determine which child should be offered the place. In the unlikely event where there is an identical measurement for two or more applicants, the school will use random allocation with the process being conducted by an independent person to determine who will be offered a place. Admissions 2011/2012

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All children who applied to attend St Christophers in 2011/2012 were accepted. Appeals The Governors decisions on admissions are final. However, there are established arrangements for appeals against non-admission. All appeals against a decision on admission should be made in writing to the Chair of Governors within 20 school days of receiving a letter of refusal of a place. Further details regarding the appeals procedure are available from the school. In the event of an unsuccessful appeal against non-admission to the school, the school does not consider any further application in the same school year (1 September 31 August). The school maintains a continued interest list for those children who are not offered a place; the priority on the waiting list is the same as the list of criteria for over-subscription. No account is taken of length of time on the continued interest list. All details of the continued interest list are included in the admissions booklet provided by the LA. The school will periodically seek confirmation that parents wish to keep a child on the continued interest list. For further information please contact the admissions secretary at the school. The Admissions Secretary St Christophers CE School Langford Near Lechlade GL7 3LA Tel No: 01367 860318

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Notes 1. By parents we mean those persons who have parental responsibilities for the child. Written legal proof may be required. 2. Children become looked after when their birth parents are unable to provide on-going care in either a temporary or permanent capacity. Children can either be looked after as a result of voluntary agreement by their parents or as the result of a care order. Children may be placed with kinship carers (family), network carers (extended family/friends) or foster carers depending on individual circumstances. The definition of Looked after children also includes those who were looked after, but have ceased to be so because they were adopted or, immediately after being looked after, became subject to a residence order or special guardianship order. 3. By normal home address, we mean your childs home address. This is your childs permanent address at the time you make your application for a place. We regard a childs home address to be where he or she spends the majority of the school week (Monday to Friday, including nights). We may ask to see official documentation, such as a child benefit book or medical card if there are reasons why a child does not live at his or her parents address. For example if he or she is resident with a grandparent you need to tell us this on the application form. If you do not declare any arrangements that are different to normal we may consider that you have made a false declaration and withdraw the offer of a place. The school reserves the right to check the validity of any address given by asking for evidence such as inclusion on the Electoral Roll, or a recent utilities bill confirming your name and address. If you are moving into the catchment area, we will ask for evidence of your move before considering any application for a place. Typical evidence is a letter from your solicitor confirming that you have a legally binding agreement to buy a house or a formal lease agreement. We will need to know that you will be a resident in the catchment area on 1 September 2013. 4. A child will be considered as having a sibling in attendance if they have a sibling at the school at the time of application and he/she is expected still to be in attendance at the time of admission By sibling we mean a brother or sister of the whole or half blood, or any other child (including an adopted child) who permanently resides at the same address and for whom the parent also has parental responsibility. In the case of twins or multiple births both or all children would be offered a place regardless of whether or not this would lead to a class having more children than permitted under infant class size rules. 5. When we refer to our designated area we mean the civil parish and a map with the catchment area marked is kept at school for reference. It incorporates the villages of Broadwell, Broughton Poggs, Filkins, Kelmscott, Langford and Little Faringdon. When we refer to the Shill Valley & Broadshires benefice we mean the villages of Alvescot, Black Bourton, Bradwell, Broadwell, Broughton Poggs, Filkins, Grafton, Holwell, Kelmscott, Kencot, Langford, Little Faringdon, Radcot, Shilton and Westwell. 6. Excepted children are: a. children with statements of special educational needs admitted outside the normal admission round; b. looked after children and previously looked after children admitted outside the normal admission round;

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c. children admitted, after initial allocation of places, because of a procedural error made by the admission authority or local authority in the original application process; d. children admitted after an independent appeals panel upholds an appeal; e. children who move into the area outside the normal admission round for whom there is no other available school within reasonable distance; f. children of UK service personnel admitted outside the normal admission round;

g. twins and children from multiple births when one of the siblings is the 30th child admitted; h. children with SEN who are normally taught in an SEN unit48 attached to the school, or registered at a special school, who attend some infant classes within the mainstream school

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