Admission Policy 2008/2009
“A caring Catholic community that lives, learns and works with Christ at its centre”
1. Holy Family is a Catholic Voluntary Aided primary school, which was established by the church to serve the parish of Holy Family. Within the legal framework allowed, i.e. infant class size, it is the intention that all baptised Catholics living within the parish will be offered a place at either Holy Family school or St Mary’s.
2. The Governing Body acting in accordance with the Code of Practice and the Clifton Diocesan Policy Statement and in consultation with the Local Authority is responsible for the admission of pupils.
3. The Admission Number for the Reception Year (2008/9) is 30 pupils. Pupils are normally admitted in the September of the school year in which they reach their fifth birthday. However they are not required to attend school until the beginning of the term after their fifth birthday and so in appropriate cases admission may be deferred until the beginning of the Spring and Summer terms. Parents seeking such a deferment should make this clear at the time of applying for a place.
4. Applications for a reception place should be made through South Gloucestershire Local Authority on their application form published in the “Admission to Primary Schools in South Gloucestershire -Information for Parents” booklet. (Forms are also available from the school office.). These forms must be returned direct to South Gloucestershire Council and in line with their deadline date. The Governing Body may request additional information from the applicant in order to apply the schools admission criteria.
The Governing Body will offer places using their published criteria. The timing of the offers will be in line with South Gloucestershire Council. Deferred Admissions will also follow South Gloucestershire Council’s formal statement.
5. A waiting list of unsuccessful candidates will be held until 31 August 2008 and then discarded. If places become available before then offers will be made in accordance with the order of priority in paragraph 6 below.
6. In the event of over-subscription (i.e. more applications than available places) places will be offered in accordance with the following order of priority.
When applications within any of the categories exceed the number of places available priority will be given firstly to Looked After Children falling within that category and then places will be allocated having regard to those children living closest to the school. Distances from home to the nearest school gate are measured using the South Gloucestershire Council Routes to School Gazetteer dated 1 September 2007.
6.1 Baptised Catholics who are designated as “Looked after Children”.
6.2 Baptised Catholics living in the Parish of Holy Family with a sibling attending the school at the start of the academic year in question (map available on request).
6.3 Baptised Catholics living in the Parish of Holy Family (map available on request).
6.4 Other Looked after Children for whom a place is requested by the relevant person/authority.
6.5 * Siblings of Catholic children already in the school, at the start of the academic year in question.
6.6 * Siblings of non-Catholic children already in the school, at the start of the academic year in question.
6.7 Other baptised Catholic children who live outside the Parish of Holy Family and who do not have a Catholic primary school serving the parish in which they live or whose parish school in unable to offer them a place.
6.8 Other baptised Catholics and who fall outside category 6.7.
6.9 Children of a Catholic parent who reside within the Parish.
6.10 Baptised children of other Christian churches and practising members of other faiths, (evidenced by a supporting statement from their minister or equivalent), whose parents seek a Catholic education at Holy Family and who agree to their child participating in the full Catholic life of the school.
6.11 Other children from within Patchway/ Stoke Lodge/Little Stoke and whose parents are seeking a Christian education at Holy Family, and have written a statement supporting their reason for wishing such an education and agreeing to their child participating in the full Catholic life of the school.
6.12 All other applicants not in the above categories.
Definitions
* For the purpose of this policy siblings will be defined as children who share one
common parent/legal guardian.
Looked after children as defined by Section 22 of the Children Act 1989.
Where it is indicated that a child is baptised, a copy of the baptismal certificate/or equivalent MUST be submitted to the school by the agreed South Gloucestershire deadline.
Children with Statements of Special Educational Needs
Admission procedures for children with Statements is different and these children take priority over all the above. The Local Authority is responsible for issuing the Statement and consulting parents and the Governors of Holy Family, if a preference has been made for the school, before the school is named in the Statement.
Appeals
Parents have the right to appeal against the refusal by the Governing Body to admit their child and should put their appeal in writing to the Clerk of Governors (address below) within 14 days of receiving the letter of refusal. Appeals will be arranged by the Diocesan Department for Schools and Colleges and conducted in accordance with the Code of Practice on School Appeals.
Clerk to the Governors: Mrs P Long at 33 Callicroft Road, Patchway, Bristol, BS34 5BU.
Information from the Previous Years Admissions
For September 2007 the Governors received 12 first choice applications which fell in to the following categories:
6.1 0
6.2 5
6.3 3
6.4 0
6.5 0
6.6 1
6.7 0
6.8 0
6.9 2
6.10 1