SKERNE PARK ACADEMY
Admissions Policy
Review Date: July 2017
Adopted/V1 / V2 / V3Dec 2014 / Dec 2015 / Sept 2016
Hummersknott Academy Trust incorporates Hummersknott Academy and Skerne Park Academy and unless otherwise stated this policy applies to both schools equally. This policy relates to Skerne Park Academy only.
PURPOSE
The purpose of the policy is to clarify which children will be admitted to the Academy and why.
SCOPE
The Governing Body will admit all those children whose parents/carers have applied for a place at Skerne Park Academy provided that sufficient places are available.
Admissions Oversubscription Criteria
After the admission of children with Special Educational Needs where Skerne Park Academy is named on the statement, and where the number of applicants is greater than the Published Admission Number (PAN), applications will be considered against the criteria set out below:
First, priority will be given to children in public care, or children who are sometimes referred to as looked after children (these are children in the care of a local authority or provided with accommodation by the local authority in accordance with Section 22 of the Children Act 1989), at the time of application. This definition includes children who were previously looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted, or because they became subject to a residence order or special guardianship order.
Second, priority will be given to children who have a sibling who will still be attending Skerne Park Academy at the time the child is due to start.
Third,priority will be given to children who have had a sibling attend the Academy who has left within the last 3 years.
Fourth, priority will be given to children based on walking distance from home to the Academy. In other words, priority will be given to children who live nearest the Academy measured from the front door of the home address (including flats) to the main school gate by the shortest walking route judged to be safe (lit at regular intervals and paved/tarmacked). This will be based on the child’s permanent home address (to remain consistent the Authority uses a Geographical Information System to measure all distances).
In the event of two or more children being equally deserving of a place in Skerne Park but only one place being available for a child, walking distance from home to school will be the final factor taken into consideration, with the child living nearest the Academy being offered the place.
The Governing Body has the right to investigate any concerns it may have with respect to the accuracy of information provided by parents/carers on an application form and to withdraw the offer of a place if there is evidence that parents/carers have made misleading or fraudulent claims.
The governors will keep a waiting list up until the end of the autumn term. This list is drawn up based on the criteria above and it is how the child stands in relation to these criteria rather than the length of time on the waiting list that will determine if a place is offered.
Appeals
Parents/carers who are refused a place for their child have a statutory right of appeal.Parents/carers have the right to attend an Independent Appeal Panel if they are dissatisfied with an admission decision madeby the Local Authority on behalf of Skerne Park Academy. The appeal panel will be independent of the Academy. The arrangements for appeals will be made by the Local Authority in line with the School Admission Appeals Code published by the Department for Education. The determination of the appeal panel will be made in accordance with the School Admission Appeals Code and is binding on all parties. Further details about the appeals process are available by writing to the Chair of Governors at the Academy address.
Fair Access
The government has stated that all local authorities must have a Fair Access agreement that allows hard to place children, for example, those that have been permanently excluded from other schools, to be given a place before any oversubscription criteria are applied and before anyone is considered from the waiting list. Such children are shared out to make sure no one school has to take too many hard to place children.
Definitions
In the care of the local authority
Pupils in the care of the local authority are ‘looked after’ by the local authority or provided with accommodation by the local authority in accordance with Section 22 of the 1989 Children Act.
Sibling
•A full brother or sister, whether or not resident in the same household
•Another child normally resident for the majority of term time in the same household, for whom an adult in the household has parental responsibility as defined in the Children’s Act 1989
•In the case of twins (or two siblings in the same age cohort) and where there is only one place available in the Academy, both will be considered together as one application provided that both have met the standard for entry to the Academy. The Academy will exceed its admissions number by one
Application for Reception Places
Skerne Park Academy has space for 60 Reception pupils and adheres to the regulationsas described in theSchool Admissions Regulations 2012, with arrangements coordinated in the normal admissions round by Darlington Borough Council. Applications are received with places allocated and confirmed in writing directly to parents.
Parents/carers must complete either an online application form or a hard copy of the form, which can be obtained directly from the School AdmissionsTeam, based at Darlington Town Hall. Forms are returned to the School AdmissionsTeam no later than a given date (usually January before the September entry to school) and decision letters are issued in April, by post.
Parents with any enquiries regarding the process will be directed tothe School Admissions Team on 01325 388812/388027 or email .
Application for Nursery Places (Free funded places for three and four year olds)
Skerne Park Academy has 39 morning and 39 afternoon Nursery places. Children aged three or four are entitled to up to 15hours offree early education every week. Parents/carers must complete a school application form and provide proof of the child’s date of birth. Where possible, consideration will be given to parents’/carers’ preference for a morning or an afternoon place.
Eligibility
Child’s 3rd birthday between: / Entitled from:1st January – 31st March / 1st April after their third birthday until they access Reception class
1st April – 31st August / 1st September after their third birthday until they access Reception class
1st September – 31st December / 1st January after their third birthday until they access Reception class
This policy links with value 9 – At the heart of the Community, of Hummersknott Academy Trust’s Vision and Values.
RESPONSIBILITY
This policy will be reviewed and updated where necessary by the Headteacher and approved for adoption by the Local Governing Body.
PUBLICISING THE POLICY
A copy of this policy will be available on the Academy’s website and intranet. Staff will be advised of amendments to this policy via Staff Briefings and are expected to familiarise themselves with the content.
POLICY STATUS
This is a statutory policy.
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