Admission Policy 2009/2010
Our Lady of Lourdes is a Catholic voluntary aided primary school, which was established by the Church to serve the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes. The Governing Body, acting in accordance with the Code of Practice and the Clifton Diocesan Policy Statement and in consultation with South Gloucestershire Council, is responsible for the admission of pupils.
The Admission Number for the Reception Year 2009/10 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 indicate so when accepting the offer of a place.
Applications for a place at the school should be made using the common application form published in the “Admissions to Primary Schools in South Gloucestershire – Information for Parents/Carers” booklet. These forms must be returned to South Gloucestershire Council by 24 October 2008. Governors may request additional information from applicants in order to apply their admissions criteria. The Governing Body will offer places in the spring term 2009 and successful applicants will be notified by South Gloucestershire Council.
The Governing Body will offer places using their published criteria.
A waiting list of unsuccessful applicants will be held until 30 June 2009. If places become available before then offers will be made in accordance with the order of priority detailed below.
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. Baptised Catholic ‘Looked After Children’ for a place is requested by the relevant person/authority.
2. Children who are Baptised Catholics and live in the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes.
3. Baptised Catholic children who live outside the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes 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.
4. Other ‘Looked After Children’ for whom a place is requested by the relevant person/authority.
5. Children who will have a brother or sister at the school at the time of their admission.
6. Children of other Christian denominations who live within the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes and whose parents are members of their church and have the written support of their minister.
7. Baptised Catholic children who live outside the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes and who fall outside Category 3 above.
8. Other applicants not in the above categories.
It should be noted that there are eight criteria listed above, compared with nine in previous years. This is because the previous criterion number 5 ‘Children of Catholic parents living in the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes’ has been removed by the governors from the Admissions Policy.
A map of the parish of Our Lady of Lourdes is available at the school
In categories 1, 2, 3 and 7, baptismal certificates should be made available at the time of application.
DEFINITIONS
· Brother and sister are defined as children who share one natural parent, step brother or sister or have been legally adopted or fostered into the family.
· ‘Looked After Children’ as defined by Section 22 of the Children’s Act 1989.
When applications within categories 1, 2, 3 and 7 above exceed the number of places available, priority will be given to children of multiple births, then children who have a brother or sister at the school at the time of their admission, then by children who live furthest from the nearest alternative Catholic school at which a place is available and then by random allocation (drawing lots).
In the case of over-subscription in other categories places will be allocated to children of multiple births followed by children who live closest to the school as measured by South Gloucestershire Council and then by random allocation. In the event of random allocation of places having to be used, the method employed to identify the successful applications will be that lots will be drawn by officers of the Clifton Diocesan Department for Schools and Colleges.
Casual applications, i.e. those which fall outside the normal admissions round, will be considered by the Admissions Committee against the criteria listed above.
Applications received after the closing date but before the offer of places is made by the Governing Body will be considered in accordance with the priorities above if, in the opinion of the Admissions Committee there were good grounds for applicants not being able to meet the required deadlines.
For admission in September 2007: 57 applications were received. The Governors offered places to applicants in the following categories:
Category 1 0 pupils
Category 2 14 pupils
Category 3 6 pupils
Category 4 0 pupils
Category 5 1 pupil
Category 6 7 pupils
Category 7 2 pupils
Category 8 0 pupils
Category 9 0 pupils
Note: admission criteria have been changed since 2007. Admission criteria for past years are available upon request.
Parents who wish to visit the school are invited to telephone to make an appointment. New children will be invited to visit the school towards the end of the summer term giving them the opportunity to meet with other children and to gain an insight into school life.
APPEALS PROCEDURE
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 Student Access & Support Team. South Gloucestershire Council will then advise the Governing Body of the request for an Appeal. 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 EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
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 Our Lady of Lourdes, if a preference has been made for the school, before the school is named in the Statement. Once the school has been named the child with the Statement will have first priority of admission.