Admission Arrangements & Appeals Process
CHESTER BLUE COAT CE PRIMARY SCHOOL
ADMISSIONS POLICY
Parents should be aware before applying that in this school RE, Collective Worship and our Whole School Ethos are based on the teachings of the Church of England.
Making an application
Applications for admission to the school should be made on the common application form enclosed with the Local Authority’s brochure and the school’s supplementary form for those applying under criteria 2, 5 or 6 between 1st September and not later than the 15th January.
Applications may also be made on-line. It is not normally possible to change the order of your preferences for schools after the closing date.
Letters informing parents of whether or not their child has been allocated a place will be sent out by the Local Authority on or near 16th April. Parents of children not admitted will be informed of the reason and offered an alternative place by the Authority.
Admission procedures
The number of places available for admission to the Reception Class in 2023 will be a maximum of 60 pupils. This arrangement follows consultation between the governing body, the Diocesan Board of Education, Local Authorities and other admissions authorities in the area. The governing body will not place any restrictions on admissions to Reception unless the number of children for whom admission is sought exceeds this number. By law, no infant class may contain more than thirty children.
The Governing Body operates a system of equal preferences under which they consider all preferences equally and the Local Authority allocates places according to its policy. In the event that there are more applicants than places, the governing body will allocate places using the following criteria, which are listed in order of priority: When there are more applications than there are places available, the Governors will admit pupils according to the following criteria, in order of priority. They are subject to notes (a) and (b) following:
1) Looked after children. A "looked after child" is a child who is in the care of the local authority or provided with accommodation by that authority and children who were looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or became subject to a child arrangement order or special guardianship order (as defined in section 22 of the Children Act 1989).
2) Children with special medical or social circumstances affecting the child where these needs can only be met at this school. See note (a).
3) Children who have a sibling in school who will still be attending school the following year. See note (b)
4) The children of parents who are resident within the parish boundaries of the following churches; St Thomas of Canterbury, St Peter’s, St John’s, Christ Church or Chester Cathedral and/or resident within the catchment area of Chester Blue Coat CE Primary School as shown on the Local Authority’s website. See note (c).
5) Children whose parents who are faithful and regular worshippers at one of the following churches: St Thomas of Canterbury, St Peter’s, St John’s, Christ Church or Chester Cathedral.
6) Children whose parents are faithful and regular worshippers in a Christian church, as recognised by Churches Together in Britain and Ireland. See notes (d) and (e).
7) Children who live nearest to the school. Distances are measured in a straight line from the centrally plotted basic land and property unit point of the child’s home address to the centrally plotted basic land and property unit point of the school, as defined by local land and property gazetteer.
If there are not enough places to admit all applicants meeting any one criterion, the governors will apply the subsequent criteria, in order of priority, to all these applicants.
Notes
(a) Professional supporting evidence from eg a doctor, psychologist, social worker, is essential if admission is to be made under the criterion for special medical or social circumstances, and such evidence must set out the particular reasons why the school is question is the most suitable school and the difficulties which would be caused if the child had to attend another school.
(b) Siblings include step, half, foster, adopted brothers and sisters living at the same address and full brother and sister living apart.
(c) A map showing the parish boundaries is available from the school and a map of the catchment area is available on Cheshire West and Chester Children’s Services website under Admissions/catchment areas.
(d) By "faithful and regular" we mean attendance at a minimum of two services per month for at least six months prior to the closing date for applications. A letter from your incumbent or minister or other church officer will be required as proof of attendance.
(e) A "parent" is any person who has parental responsibility or care of the child. Where admission arrangements refer to "parent’s attendance at church" it is sufficient for just one parent to attend.
(f) In the event of oversubscription and the parent being refused a place for their child, a waiting list of unsuccessful applicants will be retained until the end of the Autumn term for which admission was applied.
Children with Statements
Section 324 of the Education Act 1996 requires the governing bodies of all maintained schools to admit a child with a Statement of Special Education Needs that names their school.
Admissions information
Last year the school was able to admit all pupils whose parents applied.
Late applications for admission
Where there are extenuating circumstances for an application being received after the last date for applications, and it is before the governors have established their list of pupils to be admitted, then it will be considered alongside all the others.
Otherwise, applications which are received after the last date will be considered after all the others, and placed on the waiting list in order according to the criteria.
Address of pupil
The address used on the school’s admission form must be the current one at the time of application. If the address changes subsequently, the parents should notify the school. Where the parents live at different addresses, the current-at-the-time-of-application, normal address of the child will be the one used. This will normally be the one where the child wakes up for the majority of Monday to Friday mornings. Parents may be asked to show evidence of the claim that is being made for the address, e.g. utility bill or bank statement showing the address as the one claimed. Where there is dispute about the correct address to use, the governors reserve the right to make enquiries of any relevant third parties, e.g. the child’s GP. For children of UK Service personnel and other Crown Servants returning to the area proof of the posting is all that is required.
In-Year Applications
For pupils who move into an area or who move schools outside of the normal admissions round the in-year application process applies.
Parents should contact the school to enquire about any spaces available in the appropriate year. If a place is available, the school will arrange for admission and inform the Local Authority. If there are more applications than places parents will be asked to fill in an application and supplementary information form and the children will be ranked in accordance with the oversubscription criteria. In both cases, parents who have been unsuccessful in securing a place will have the right to appeal.
Appeals
Where the governors are unable to offer a place because the school is over subscribed, parents have the right to appeal to an independent admission appeal panel, set up under the School Standards and Framework Act, 1998, as amended by the Education Act, 2002. Parents should notify the clerk to the governors at the school within 14 days of receiving the letter refusing a place. Parents will have the opportunity to submit their case to the panel in writing and also to attend in order to present their case. You will normally receive 14 days notice of the place and time of the hearing.
Please note that this right of appeal against the governor’s decision does not prevent you from making an appeal in respect of any other school.
Fraudulent applications
Where the governing body discovers that a child has been awarded a place as the result of an intentionally misleading application from a parent (for example a false claim to residence in the catchment area or of involvement in a place of worship) which effectively denies a place to a child with a stronger claim, then the governing body is required to withdraw the offer of the place. The application will be considered afresh and a right of appeal offered if a place is refused.
Twins/multiple births
Where there are twins/multiple births wanting admission and there is only a single place left within the admission number, then the governing body may admit above the infant class size.
M Hover Revised February 2022
Approved by Staff: February 2022
Approved by Governors: March 2022
Review: January 2023
APPEALS PROCESS
Information on the Appeals Process run by Cheshire West & Chester can be found here.
The timetable for appeals can be found in the document below.