ADMISSIONS PROCEDURES
Nursery
A waiting list is held by the office staff. Places are allocated to children upon availability and after the child reaches the age of three years. As children are admitted, details of their name, address, date of birth, start date and session are passed on to the nursery staff. This information is also input into the computer system using the SIMS STAR program, and a unique pupil number is generated for each child.
Admission criteria for nursery are the same as used by central admissions and are recorded in the prospectus.
Admission to the nursery does not guarantee a place in the main school and the admission procedure for first admission must be followed for all children.
First Admission – Main School
Information is then sent out to parents, by the Admissions Office, in January of each year to children who will be five between 1 September of that year and 31 August of the following year. The Admissions Office will state the final date for applications to be returned to the school. As the local authority admissions office is now asking parents to apply on line, office staff will encourage prospective applicants to apply in this way. However , if forms arrive at school the Office Manager will acknowledge receipt of returned preference forms on behalf of the Admissions Office and will forward forms to them on a weekly basis until the closing date is reached.
The Admissions Office will allocate places following the criteria as specified in the school prospectus. Once all places have been allocated, up to the government limit of 30, parents of children who have been refused a place will be informed and a waiting list will be set up by the Admissions Office. If a parent contacts the school to say they no longer require a place which has been offered, confirmation of this will be requested in writing and then faxed to the Admissions Office so that a place can be offered to the next child on the waiting list.
Children can be admitted into the reception class at the beginning of the academic year in which their fifth birthday falls. This may be a full or part time place until the child reaches statutory school age. If families wish to defer the start of full time education for their child until compulsory school age they should arrange the details with the Head teacher. However, if the child’s birthday falls within the summer term delayed entry should be discouraged as this would mean applying for a place in Year 1.
Parents of children commencing school will be invited to attend a meeting at school during the summer term prior to their child’s admission.
Transfer from our nursery
During the summer term before admission to the main school, children will pay short visits to the reception class. They will then start full-time in the reception class after the summer holiday.
The main school admission forms will be completed including a Home School Agreement. They will be completed by the parent and must then be read through and clarified if necessary by a member of the staff who understands the admission procedure and with the parent present.
Nursery records are passed to the reception teacher.
Special needs information is passed to the teacher in charge of special needs.
Information on dietary requirements on health, preference or religious grounds are passed to the school meals staff, if necessary
Special health information is passed to the class teacher and teaching assistant/first aider.
A record file is opened in the school office, to hold the nursery record, the school admission forms and any other relevant information.
The child’s name is placed on the main school register and removed from the nursery register.
Transfer from other nurseries
Parents of children coming from nurseries other than Carrington are invited to the parent’s meeting in the summer term prior to their children’s admission.
Children will be invited to make visits in the summer term.
A member of the staff sees the Birth Certificate before the child is admitted to school and this is recorded.The admission forms are completed and a record file is opened.
Any special needs, health, dietary or EMAG information is passed to the appropriate member of staff (as before).
If records are available these are to be seen by the class teacher and then passed to the school office for filing.
Admission of children over 5 into main school
The parent and child must visit the school and see the Head Teacher prior to a request for admission.
The parent is given a school brochure.
All applications must be made to the Admissions Office, using the appropriate forms.
Children who are transferring from another local school should ideally start school after a holiday period.
At first week of admission
Admission forms are completed and relevant special needs, health, dietary and EMAG information is passed to the appropriate member of staff (as before).
A Common Transfer form, school records and Unique Pupil Number are requested from previous school and on arrival are seen by the class teacher and then passed to the school office for filing and input into the computer system.
Children admitted from Refuges and short stay accommodation
The same arrangements apply, as above, however:
Particular care is taken in the transfer of records from the previous school and in the handling of special needs, dietary, health and EMAG information. If necessary contact is made through the Education Authority and not directly with the previous school.
Medical
The school nurse does a health check on children admitted to main school as 5's and rising 5's.
This check is done with the parent in attendance and by the end of the child's third half term in school.
If the school nurse feels there is a need for the child to be seen by the doctor for a more intensive medical then this is arranged and the school is informed.