Admission Policy 2009/2010
Parents are warmly invited to visit and should telephone to arrange an appointment to look around the school. New children will be invited to visit the school during the summer term in order to ensure their entry into Christ the King is a happy and enjoyable experience. Christ the King is a fully inclusive school and welcome applications from all members of the local community.
Christ the King is a Catholic voluntary aided primary school, which was established by the Church to serve the parishes of Christ the King, Thornbury and Holy Cross, Wotton-under-Edge. 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.
The admission number for the Reception Year (2009/2010) is 25 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 the school until the beginning of the term after their fifth birthday and so admission may be deferred until the beginning of the Spring and Summer terms. Parents seeking such a deferment should make this clear when accepting the offer of a place.
Applications for a Reception place at the school should be made through South Gloucestershire Council on their application form as published in the “Admission to Primary Schools in South Gloucestershire – Information for Parents/Carers” booklet. Booklets are also available from the school office. These forms must be returned to South Gloucestershire Council by 4.30pm on Friday 24 October 2008. Parents are also requested to complete the school’s additional information form and return to the Head Teacher by the same date.
The Governing Body, through South Gloucestershire Council, will offer places by the 2 March 2009 in line with their published criteria.
A waiting list of unsuccessful applicants will be held until 30 June 2009 and then discarded. If places become available before then, offers will be made in accordance with the order of priority in paragraph 5 below.
1. 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:
1.1 Baptised Catholic Children who are “Looked After” for whom a place is requested by the relevant person/authority.
1.2 Children who are baptised Catholics and who live in the parishes of Christ the King, Thornbury and Holy Cross, Wotton-under-Edge.
1.3 Baptised Catholic children who live outside the parishes of Christ the King, Thornbury and Holy Cross, Wotton-under-Edge and who do not have a Catholic primary school serving the parish in which they live or at whose parish school a place is not available.
1.4 Children who are “Looked After” for whom a place is requested by the relevant person/authority.
1.5 Children of a Catholic parent(s) who live within the parishes Christ the King, Thornbury and Holy Cross, Wotton-under-Edge.
1.6 Children who will have a brother or a sister at the school at the time of their admission i.e. the start of the school’s academic year.
1.7 Children of other faiths (ie members of the inter faith network for the UK) who live within the parishes of Christ the King, Thornbury and Holy Cross, Wotton-under-Edge, and whose parents are members of their church and have the written support of their minister.
1.8 Baptised Catholic children who live outside the parishes of Christ the King, Thornbury and Holy Cross, Wotton-under-Edge, and who fall outside Category 1.3 above.
1.9 Other applicants not in the above categories.
In Categories 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, and 1.8 baptismal certificates should be available for inspection.
Parish maps can be made available at the school.
Definitions:-
a) Brother and sister are defined as children who share one natural parent or stepbrother or sister or have been legally adopted or fostered into the family.
b) Looked After Children: as defined by Section 22 of the Children Act 1989.
c) Members of their church are defined as worshipping at their church.
2. When applications within Categories 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 above exceed the number of places available, priority will be given to:-
Children of multiple births.
Children who have a brother or sister at the school at the time of their admission.
Children who live furthest from the nearest alternative Catholic school at which a place is available.
Random allocation (drawing lots).
Priority in other categories will be given to:-
Children of multiple births.
Children who have a brother or sister at the school at the time of admission.
Children who live nearest to the school.
Random allocation (drawing lots).
Distance will be calculated by the shortest actual distance between the school gate and the house of the applicant as measured by the nearest available walking distance as defined by South Gloucestershire Council’s current statement.
3. Casual applications, i.e. those which fall outside the normal admissions round, will be considered by the Admissions Committee against the criteria listed in point 1 above.
LATE APPLICATIONS
4. Applications received after the closing date of 4.30pm on Friday 24 October 2008 but before the offer of places is made by the Governing Body will be considered in accordance with the priorities in 1 above if, in the opinion of the Admission Committee, there were good grounds for applicants not being able to meet the required deadlines.
5. In October 2007 the Governors received 32 applications for September 2008 which fell in the following categories:-
Category 1.1 0
Category 1.2 13 pupils
Category 1.3 0
Category 1.4 0
Category 1.5 2 pupils
Category 1.6 3 pupils
Category 1.7 1 pupils
Category 1.8 1 pupil
Category 1.9 12 pupils
Total 32 pupils
and offered 25 places to:
all applicants in 1.2
2 applicants in 1.5
3 applicants in 1.6
1 applicant in 1.7
1 applicant in 1.8 and
5 applicants in 1.9
APPEALS PROCEDURE
6. Parents have the right to appeal against the refusal by the Governing Body to admit their child, and should put their appeal in writing using the paperwork provided with your offer letter. This should be returned to the Student Access & Support Team, South Gloucestershire Department for Children and Young People, Riverside Court, Bowling Hill, Chipping Sodbury, South Gloucestershire, 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.
CHILDREN WITH STATEMENTS OF SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
7. There is a different procedure for the admission to school for children with Statements of Special Educational Needs: it is administered by the Local Authority in whose area the family lives. South Gloucestershire Council is responsible for issuing the Statement and consulting parents and the Governing Body of Christ the King, if a preference has been made for the school, before the school is named in the Statement.
In the event of any questions or queries please contact the Head Teacher at Christ the King School on telephone number 01454 866680.
CONCLUSION
This policy was agreed on 23 July 2008 by the Governors of the school