Bracknell Forest Council
ProposedAdmission Arrangements
Community and Voluntary Controlled Secondary and Primary Schools
For entry to schools
in
2023-2024
SECONDARY SCHOOL ADMISSIONS 2023-2024
Applications for secondary schools will be processed according to the published co-ordinated scheme for 2023-2024. The scheme and the admissions arrangements will be published in the LA’s composite prospectus. This is entitled The Guide to Secondary 2023/24. This guide will be available from 12th September 2022.
OVERSUBSCRIPTION CRITIERIA
Within Bracknell Forest there are 3 community secondary schools and the local authority sets the admission criteria for these schools. The criteria for all of these schools can be found in the ‘Guide to Secondary Education 2023/24’, on the Bracknell Forest Council’s website or from the school.
In circumstances where more applications than places are received for Bracknell Forest community schools the following criteria will be used.
· Oversubscription criteria Bracknell Forest community schools:
Bracknell Forest is the admission authority for community schools and sets the oversubscription criteria.
The following criteria apply to these three Bracknell Forest community schools:
|
Easthampstead Park School |
|
Garth Hill College |
|
Sandhurst School |
Children with an Education Health & Care Plan that names a specific school must, by law, be admitted to that school.
After this requirement has been satisfied the following rules will apply:
(A) Looked After Children[1] and all previously looked after children. Previously looked after children are children who were looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted[2] (or became subject to a child arrangements order[3] or special guardianship order[4]) immediately following having been looked after. This also includes those children who appear to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted[5]
(B) Children who have either medical or social grounds for admission to a particular school. This evidence must set out the particular reason why the school in question is the only suitable school and the difficulties caused if the child had to attend another school. The LA’s decision in these matters is final.
(C) Children of staff at the school in question.
1. Where a member of staff has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the school is made; and/or
2. the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is demonstrable skill shortage.
(D) Children who live in the designated area of the school and who have a sibling* who will still be attending the school at the time of the child’s admission.
(E) Children who live in the designated area of the school.
(F) Children who do not live in the designated area of the school but who have a sibling* at the school, and who will still be attending school at the time of the child’s admission.
(G) All other children.
Children must be living in the designated area at the closing date of 31 October 2022 to be considered under this criterion.
*Sibling does not include those in the 6th form of the school.
Tie Break
If there are still insufficient places and no distinction can be made between the applicants within each criterion or if they do not fulfil any of the above criteria, applications will be ranked on the radial distance (straight line distance on a map) between the home and the school. Those living nearer to the school will be placed higher than those living further away. Radial distance will be based on the co-ordinates for the property and the school as defined in the Local Land and Property Gazetteer and based on the Ordnance Survey’s national system. For new build properties these co-ordinates may not yet be finalised by the Local Land and Property Gazetteer and therefore the co-ordinates available as of the closing date for applications will be used.
Distances are measured using direct distance calculations within a computer system. The measurement of each distance has been calculated using Pythagoras’ Theorem. The way in which this is done is to calculate the distance in metres between the Easting and Northing co-ordinates for each location. The measurement in metres is then multiplied by 0.000621318 to convert this measurement to miles. The same method of calculation is used for each direct distance measured.
If in the event that two or more children live at the same distance from school (for example for families living in flats) and there are fewer places available then random allocation will be used to decide which child will be allocated the remaining place(s). The process will be drawn and scrutinised by people who are independent of the Council. Random allocation will not be used for multiple birth siblings (twins, triplets etc) from the same family tied for the final place.
As soon as all applications have been received, including those submitted on line and from outside Bracknell Forest, the LA will consider all applications equally for its maintained schools and apply the admissions arrangements as published.
Where demand exists, schools admit up to their admission number and no places are reserved for pupils moving into their designated area.
PRIMARY SCHOOL ADMISSION 2023-2024
Applications for primary schools will be processed according to the published co-ordinated scheme for 2023-2024. The scheme and the admissions arrangements will be published in the LA’s composite prospectus. This is entitled The Guide to Primary Education 2023/24. This guide will be available from 12th September 2022.
There is no automatic transfer from nursery to reception. Parents must still make an application to start school even if they currently attend a school nursery.
OVERSUBSCRIPTION CRITERIA
Bracknell Forest is the admission authority for the community and voluntary controlled schools within the borough. The criteria for all of these schools and for the voluntary aided and academy schools can be found in the ‘Guide to Primary Admissions 2023/24’, on the Bracknell Forest Council’s website or from the school.
In circumstances where more applications than places are received for Bracknell Forest community schools the following criteria will be used.
o Oversubscription Criteria for community primary schools
Bracknell Forest is the admission authority for community schools and sets the admission criteria.
The following criteria apply to these schools:
|
New Scotland Hill Primary |
|
|
Birch Hill Primary |
Owlsmoor Primary |
|
College Town Primary |
The Pines Primary |
|
Cranbourne Primary |
Sandy Lane Primary |
|
Fox Hill Primary |
Uplands Primary |
|
Harmans Water Primary |
Whitegrove Primary |
|
Holly Spring Primary |
Wildridings Primary |
|
Meadow Vale Primary |
Wooden Hill Primary |
The following criteria also applies to these voluntary controlled schools
|
Winkfield St. Mary’s Primary |
Warfield CE Primary |
Children with an Education Health & Care Plan that names a specific school must, by law, be admitted to that school.
After this requirement has been satisfied the following rules will apply:
(A) Looked After Children[6] and all previously looked after children. Previously looked after children are children who were looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted[7] (or became subject to a child arrangements order[8] or special guardianship order[9]) immediately following having been looked after. This also includes those children who appear to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted[10]
(B) Children who have either medical or social grounds for admission to a particular school. This evidence must set out the particular reason why the school in question is the only suitable school and the difficulties caused if the child had to attend another school. The LA’s decision in these matters is final.
(C) Children of staff at a particular school:
1. Where a member of staff has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the school is made and/or
2. the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is demonstrable skill shortage.
(D) Children who live in the designated area of the school and who have a sibling who will still be attending the school at the time of the child’s admission.
(E) Children who live in the designated area of the school
(F) Children who do not live in the designated area of the school but who have a sibling at the school, and who will still be attending the school at the time of the child’s admission.
(G) All other children
Children must be living in the designated area at the closing date of 15 January 2023 to be considered under this criterion.
Tie Break
If there are still insufficient places, and no distinction can be made between the applicants within each of the criterion or if they do not fulfil any of the above criteria, applications will be ranked on the radial distance (straight line distance on a map) between the home and the school. Those living nearer to the school will be placed higher than those living further away. Radial distance will be based on the co-ordinates for the property and the school as defined in the Local Land and Property Gazetteer and based on the Ordnance Survey’s national system. For new build properties these co-ordinates may not yet be finalised by the Local Land and Property Gazetteer and therefore the co-ordinates available as of the closing date for applications will be used.
Distances are measured using direct distance calculations within a computer system. The measurement of each distance has been calculated using Pythagoras’ Theorem. The way in which this is done is to calculate the distance in metres between the Easting and Northing co-ordinates for each location. The measurement in metres is then multiplied by 0.000621317 to convert this measurement to miles. The same method of calculation is used for each direct distance measured. This can be to three, four or five decimal places where necessary.
Distances for split site schools will be measured as above to both sites and the shortest distance will then be used for the application.
If in the event that two or more children live at the same distance from school and it cannot be separated, for example where families live in flats and there are fewer places available, then random allocation will be used to decide which child will be allocated the remaining place(s). The process will be drawn and scrutinised by people who are independent of the Council. Random allocation will not be used for multiple birth siblings (twins, triplets etc) from the same family tied for the final place.
Where demand exists, schools admit up to their admission number and no places are reserved for pupils moving into their designated area.
As soon as all applications have been received, including those submitted on line and from outside Bracknell Forest, the LA will consider all applications equally for its maintained schools and apply the admissions arrangements as published.
o Oversubscription criteria for the following voluntary controlled primary school
The LA is the admission authority for their voluntary controlled schools and sets the admission criteria.
These criteria apply to the following schools:
|
Crowthorne CE Primary |
|
|
If the number of requests for places is equal to or less than the number of places available, then all applicants could be offered a place at that school.
Children with an Education Health and Care Plan that names a specific school must, by law, be admitted to that school.
After this requirement has been satisfied the following rules will apply:
(A) Looked After Children[11] and all previously looked after children. Previously looked after children are children who were looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted[12] (or became subject to a child arrangements order[13] or special guardianship order[14]) immediately following having been looked after. This also includes those children who appear to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted[15]
(B) Children who have either medical or social grounds for admission to a particular school. This evidence must set out the particular reason why the school in question is the only suitable school and the difficulties caused if the child had to attend another school. The LA’s decision in these matters is final.
(C) Children of staff at a particular school.
1. Where a member of staff has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the school is made and/or
2. the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is demonstrable skill shortage.
(D) Children who live in the designated area of the school and who have a sibling who will still be attending the school at the time of the child’s admission and whose parent(s) meet the denominational criterion.
(E) Children who live in the designated area of the school and who have a sibling who will still be attending the school at the time of the child’s admission
(F) Children who live in the designated area of the school and whose parent(s) meet the denominational criterion.
(G) Children who live in the designated area of the school.
(H) Children who do not live in the designated area of the school but who have a sibling who will still be attending the school at the time of the child’s admission and whose parent(s) meet the denominational criterion.
(I) Children who do not live in the designated area of the school but who have a sibling who will still be attending the school at the time of the child’s admission
(J) Children who do not live in the designated area of the school but whose parents meet the denominational criterion
(K) All other children
Children must be living in the designated area at the closing date of 15 January 2023 to be considered under this criterion
Tie Break
If there are still insufficient places, and no distinction can be made between the applicants within each of the criterion or if they do not fulfil any of the above criteria, applications will be ranked on the radial distance (straight line distance on a map) between the home and the school. Those living nearer to the school will be placed higher than those living further away. Radial distance will be based on the co-ordinates for the property and the school as defined in the Local Land and Property Gazetteer and based on the Ordnance Survey’s national system. For new build properties these co-ordinates may not yet be finalised by the Local Land and Property Gazetteer and therefore the co-ordinates available as of the closing date for applications will be used.
Distances are measured using direct distance calculations within a computer system. The measurement of each distance has been calculated using Pythagoras’ Theorem. The way in which this is done is to calculate the distance in metres between the Easting and Northing co-ordinates for each location. The measurement in metres is then multiplied by 0.000621317 to convert this measurement to miles. The same method of calculation is used for each direct distance measured. This can be to three, four or five decimal places where necessary.
Distances for split site schools will be measured as above to both sites and the shortest distance will then be used for the application.
If in the event that two or more children live at the same distance from school and it cannot be separated, for example where families live in flats and there are fewer places available, then random allocation will be used to decide which child will be allocated the remaining place(s). The process will be drawn and scrutinised by people who are independent of the council. Random allocation will not be used for multiple birth siblings (twins, triplets etc) from the same family tied for the final place.
Where demand exists, schools admit up to their admission number and no places are reserved for pupils moving into their designated area.
As soon as all applications have been received, including those submitted on line and from outside Bracknell Forest, the LA will consider all applications equally for its maintained schools and apply the admissions arrangements as published.
- Voluntary controlled schools – Denominational Criterion
Where denominational grounds are a reason for the application for Crowthorne CE Voluntary Controlled School it will be necessary for at least one of the parents/carers of the child concerned to regularly attend a church that is part of the group of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland or the Evangelical Alliance.
At least one of the parents/carers, who live at the same address as the child, must attend worship on at least two occasions in each calendar month for at least 8 months of the year in the 12 months prior to the published closing date for admissions or the date of application if it is an in-year application. Attendance does not include services of marriage, funerals or christenings (except for the christening of the child seeking entrance to the particular school).
In the event that during the period specified for attendance at worship the church has been closed for public worship and has not provided alternative premises for that worship, the requirements of these admissions arrangements in relation to attendance will only apply to the period when the church or alternative premises have been available for public worship.
Applicants will need to complete the relevant form in order to confirm that they are applying to the school on denominational grounds. In addition it will then be necessary for the form to be passed onto their local clergy for verification before it is sent to the School Admissions Team.
· Protected Sibling Status
Parents of children attending a school that was their designated area school at the time of processing the application but where the designated area has changed will have a protection for any younger siblings. The younger sibling’s application will be processed as living in the designated area of the same school as the older sibling is attending even though the designated area has changed.
It is the parent’s responsibility to inform the School Admissions Team on their application that they fulfil this criterion. This information will then be verified by the School Admissions Team. Parents must enclose a copy of their current council tax notice.
The child must still be living at the address within the original designated area from where the parents applied for the older sibling. If a child’s address has changed then this criterion will not be applied.
The older sibling must also still be attending the school where the protected sibling status is being requested.
Note that in all cases the normal admission process will be followed and there will be no guarantee of a place at the school.
· Applications for split site schools
Applications for any school that is on a split site are made for the school not a particular site. Places will be available across both sites.
The offer of a school place will be made for the school not the site.
After all places has been accepted the parent will be written to by the school and the parent will be informed as to which site their child will be taught on.
Should parents then turn down the offer of a place (either because they no longer wish for the site offered or for another reason) then the offer will be withdrawn. The Department for Education guidance states that there is no right of appeal for a site, only for a school.
· Social and Medical Grounds
If a child has a social and medical need that would cause significant physical and / or mental hardship, an applicant can indicate that they wish their application to be considered under social and medical grounds.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to obtain a Supplementary Social and Medical Information Form which must be completed and returned to the School Admissions Team along with supporting written evidence from a professional by the given closing date. For In-Year applications the evidence must be submitted at the time of application. The supporting evidence for social and medical grounds should be from the relevant registered professional(s) involved with the child. Examples include registered health professionals, such as Consultant, GP, Psychologist or Psychiatrist. All evidence must be on letter headed paper and reflect the child’s current situation.
This evidence must prove why the school in question is the only suitable school and why the child cannot attend another school. This evidence must be specific to the school in question.
It is the applicants responsibility to provide all evidence in support of their request and it is not possible for it to be considered under this criterion if no evidence is supplied.
All schools have the resources to work with special educational needs and common childhood complaints such as asthma.
Requests will be considered in accordance with the Equalities Act 2010.
FOR PRIMARY APPLICATIONS ONLY: Also considered under this criterion on social grounds will be parents who have applied for a place at their designated area school as a higher preferred school (than the one offered) for an older child by the published closing date and the local authority have been unable to meet this preference and a place has been allocated to this older child at an alternative school. If the parent then wishes to apply for this alternative school by the published closing date for their younger child (and the older child will still be attending at the date of admission of the younger child) then the applicant must notify The School Admissions Team on their application for that younger child that they consider this criterion applies and ensure all relevant information is supplied.
If a parent moves house or chooses not to accept the offer of a place at their designated area school then this information will have been recorded by The School Admissions Team at the time and will used in the decision making process as to whether a younger child will be accepted as fulfilling this criterion.
The procedure
Applications on social and medical need will be considered firstly by the panel of officers.
They will consider information on the Social and Medical Supplementary Information Form and any evidence from the relevant professional(s). They will recommend whether a decision can be made to either:
- Allow the application
- To refuse the application –on the grounds that the circumstances of the case does not meet the social and medical criterion.
- The recommendation will then be passed to the School Admissions Manager for a final decision
The decision on the application will be recorded and a letter will be sent to the applicant informing them of the outcome.
· Staff
Any applications under this criterion will be referred to the particular school that is named on the application for confirmation that the application meets the set criterion.
- Sibling
Refers to a brother or sister, half brother or sister, adopted brother or sister, step brother or sister, or the child of the parent/carer’s partner where the child for whom the school place is sought is living in the same family unit at the same address as that sibling. For a secondary school place this does not include those siblings in the school 6th form.
- Appeals
If parents have been refused a primary school place at one or more of their preferences they will be informed of their right of appeal. All appeals for Bracknell Forest schools must be submitted by 16 May 2023. Admissions authorities will then endeavour to hear all appeals submitted by this date within 40 school days.
If parents have been refused a secondary school place at one or more of their preferences they will be informed of their right of appeal. All appeals for Bracknell Forest schools must be submitted by 30 March 2023. Admissions authorities will then endeavour to hear all appeals submitted by this date within 40 school days.
- Waiting lists
The LA will maintain waiting lists for all Bracknell Forest maintained schools. Applicants not offered a place at a higher preference school than that which has been offered will automatically be placed on a waiting list for a school that is within Bracknell. Parents should be aware that their child’s name can go up or down the waiting list according to the priority of new additions to the list, for example someone moving into the area is placed on the appropriate place on the waiting list. Waiting lists must be maintained in criteria order at all time. The LA will maintain the waiting lists for all Bracknell Forest maintained schools for the school year for which they have applied. At the end of the school year the waiting list will end and parents will need to reapply for a place for the following year. No reminders will be sent.
· Deferred and delayed entry
For admission to school for the 2023/2024 school year, all schools will offer all children a full time school place from the September following their fourth birthday. Parents may request that their child attends part-time until the child reaches compulsory school age.
Parents of a child whose fifth birthday falls between 1 September 2023 and 31 March 2024 may request that their child is not admitted until later in the school year 2023/2024 (no later than the term [using three term year] after the child’s fifth birthday, when they reach compulsory school age). All schools will hold any deferred place for the child until they become compulsory school age.
Where parents choose to defer their child’s admission, or take up the place part-time but later wish to increase it to full-time before their child has reached compulsory school age, this must be discussed with the Headteacher to agree the effective date.
For children whose fifth birthday falls between 1 April 2024 and 31 August 2024 (summer-born children), parents who do not wish them to start school in the school year 2023-24, but to be admitted to the Reception Year in September 2023, should apply at the usual time for a place in September 2023 together with a cover letter/email and all the information they would like to be considered.
If their request is agreed, and this should be clear before the national offer day, their application for the normal age group may be withdrawn before any place is offered and they should reapply in the normal way (no later than 15 January 2024) for a Reception place in September 2024. If their request is refused, the parents must decide whether to wait for any offer of a place in September 2023 (N.B. it will still be subject to the oversubscription criteria below) or to withdraw their application and apply in the second half of the summer term 2024 for a Year 1 place in September 2024. Parents should be aware that the Year 1 group may have no vacancies as it could be full with children transferring from the 2023-24 Reception Year group.
· Admission of children outside their normal age group
Children are normally allocated to their chronological year group. Requests from parents for school places outside a normal age group will be considered carefully whether for gifted and talented pupils or for those who have experienced problems, e.g. having missed education due to ill health, etc.
DEFINITIONS
- Parent
Parent is defined under S576 of the Education Act 1996 as:
- all natural parents, whether they are married or not
- any person who, although not a natural parent, has parental responsibility for a child or young person
- any person who, although not a natural parent, has care of a child or young person (having care of a child or young person means that a person with whom the child lives and who looks after the child, irrespective of what their relationship is with the child, is considered to be a parent in education law).
- Designated areas/catchment areas
Maps showing the designated area of a school are available to view on the Bracknell Forest Council’s website, at the school in question, or at a council office on request.
Parents can also find their designated area school on the Bracknell Forest website:
Bracknell Forest School Admissions (arcgis.com)
PUBLISHED ADMISSIONS NUMBERS (PAN) FOR COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTARY CONTROLLED PRIMARY SCHOOLS
2023/24
|
School |
2023/24 PAN |
|
Primary Schools: |
|
|
Ascot Heath Primary |
60 |
|
Birch Hill Primary |
60 |
|
College Town Primary |
90 |
|
Cranbourne Primary |
30 |
|
Crowthorne CE Primary |
30 |
|
Fox Hill Primary |
30 |
|
Harmans Water Primary |
60 |
|
Holly Spring Primary |
90 |
|
Meadow Vale Primary School |
90 |
|
New Scotland Hill Primary |
30 |
|
Owlsmoor Primary |
90 |
|
Pines Primary |
30 |
|
Sandy Lane Primary |
60 |
|
Uplands Primary |
30 |
|
Warfield CE Primary |
60 |
|
Whitegrove Primary |
60 |
|
Wildridings Primary |
60 |
|
Winkfield St Mary’s CE Primary |
30 |
|
Wooden Hill Primary |
60 |
PUBLISHED ADMISSIONS NUMBERS (PAN) FOR COMMUNITY SECONDARY SCHOOLS
2023/2024
|
|
2023/24 PAN |
|
Easthampstead Park School |
210 |
|
Garth Hill College |
270 |
|
Sandhurst School |
210 |
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY IN YEAR APPLICATIONS 2023/24
If an application is received for any of the maintained primary and secondary schools within Bracknell Forest the following will apply:
In circumstances where more applications than places are received for Bracknell Forest community schools, or if a year group has already reached its admission number then the application will be refused and ranked on the appropriate waiting list in the following criteria order:
o Oversubscription Criteria for community primary and secondary schools
Bracknell Forest is the admission authority for community and voluntary controlled schools and sets the admission criteria.
The following criteria apply to these schools:
|
PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Ascot Heath Primary |
New Scotland Hill Primary |
|
Birch Hill Primary |
Owlsmoor Primary |
|
College Town Primary |
The Pines Primary |
|
Cranbourne Primary |
Sandy Lane Primary |
|
Fox Hill Primary |
Uplands Primary |
|
Harmans Water Primary |
Whitegrove Primary |
|
Holly Spring Primary |
Wildridings Primary |
|
Meadow Vale Primary |
Wooden Hill Primary |
|
SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Easthampstead Park Garth Hill College |
Sandhurst School |
The following criteria also applies to these voluntary controlled primary schools
|
Winkfield St Mary’s |
Warfield CE Primary |
Children with an Education Health & Care Plan that names a specific school must, by law, be admitted to that school.
After this requirement has been satisfied the following rules will apply:
(A) Looked After Children[16] and all previously looked after children. Previously looked after children are children who were looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted[17] (or became subject to a child arrangements order[18] or special guardianship order[19]) immediately following having been looked after. This also includes those children who appear to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted[20]
(B) Children who have either medical or social grounds for admission to a particular school. This evidence must set out the particular reason why the school in question is the only suitable school and the difficulties caused if the child had to attend another school. The LA’s decision in these matters is final.
(C) Children of staff at a particular school.
1. Where a member of staff has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the school is made and/or
2. the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is demonstrable skill shortage.
(D) Children who live in the designated area of the school and who have a sibling* who will still be attending the school at the time of the child’s admission.
(E) Children who live in the designated area of the school
(F) Children who do not live in the designated area of the school but who have a sibling* at the school, and who will still be attending the school at the time of the child’s admission.
(G) All other children
*For secondary admissions sibling does not include those in the 6th form of the school.
Tie Break
If there are still insufficient places, and no distinction can be made between the applicants within each of the criterion or if they do not fulfil any of the above criteria, applications will be ranked on the radial distance (straight line distance on a map) between the home and the school. Those living nearer to the school will be placed higher than those living further away. Radial distance will be based on the co-ordinates for the property and the school as defined in the Local Land and Property Gazetteer and based on the Ordnance Survey’s national system. For new build properties these co-ordinates may not yet be finalised by the Local Land and Property Gazetteer and therefore the co-ordinates available at the time of application will be used.
Distances are measured using direct distance calculations within a computer system. The measurement of each distance has been calculated using Pythagoras’ Theorem. The way in which this is done is to calculate the distance in metres between the Easting and Northing co-ordinates for each location. The measurement in metres is then multiplied by 0.000621317 to convert this measurement to miles. The same method of calculation is used for each direct distance measured. This can be to three, four or five decimal places where necessary.
Distances for split site schools will be measured as above to both sites and the shortest distance will then be used for the application.
If in the event that two or more children live at the same distance from school and it cannot be separated, for example where families live in flats and there are fewer places available, then random allocation will be used to decide which child will be allocated the remaining place(s). The process will be drawn and scrutinised by people who are independent of the Council. Random allocation will not be used for multiple birth siblings (twins, triplets etc) from the same family tied for the final place.
Where demand exists, schools admit up to their admission number and no places are reserved for pupils moving into their designated area.
As soon as all applications have been received, including those submitted on line and from outside Bracknell Forest, the LA will consider all applications equally for its maintained schools and apply the admissions arrangements as published.
o Oversubscription criteria for the following voluntary controlled primary schools
The LA is the admission authority for their voluntary controlled schools and sets the admission criteria.
These criteria apply to the following schools:
|
Crowthorne CE Primary |
|
|
If the number of requests for places is equal to or less than the number of places available, then all applicants could be offered a place at that school.
Children with an Education Health and Care Plan that names a specific school must, by law, be admitted to that school.
After this requirement has been satisfied the following rules will apply:
(A) Looked After Children[21] and all previously looked after children. Previously looked after children are children who were looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted[22] (or became subject to a child arrangements order[23] or special guardianship order[24]) immediately following having been looked after. This also includes those children who appear to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted[25]
(B) Children who have either medical or social grounds for admission to a particular school. This evidence must set out the particular reason why the school in question is the only suitable school and the difficulties caused if the child had to attend another school. The LA’s decision in these matters is final.
(C) Children of staff at a particular school.
1. Where a member of staff has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the school is made and/or
2. the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is demonstrable skill shortage.
(D) Children who live in the designated area of the school and who have a sibling who will still be attending the school at the time of the child’s admission and whose parent(s) meet the denominational criterion.
(E) Children who live in the designated area of the school and who have a sibling who will still be attending the school at the time of the child’s admission
(F) Children who live in the designated area of the school and whose parent(s) meet the denominational criterion.
(G) Children who live in the designated area of the school.
(H) Children who do not live in the designated area of the school but who have a sibling who will still be attending the school at the time of the child’s admission and whose parent(s) meet the denominational criterion.
(I) Children who do not live in the designated area of the school but who have a sibling who will still be attending the school at the time of the child’s admission
(J) Children who do not live in the designated area of the school but whose parents meet the denominational criterion
(K) All other children
Tie Break
If there are still insufficient places, and no distinction can be made between the applicants within each of the criterion or if they do not fulfil any of the above criteria, applications will be ranked on the radial distance (straight line distance on a map) between the home and the school. Those living nearer to the school will be placed higher than those living further away. Radial distance will be based on the co-ordinates for the property and the school as defined in the Local Land and Property Gazetteer and based on the Ordnance Survey’s national system. For new build properties these co-ordinates may not yet be finalised by the Local Land and Property Gazetteer and therefore the co-ordinates available at the time of application will be used.
Distances are measured using direct distance calculations within a computer system. The measurement of each distance has been calculated using Pythagoras’ Theorem. The way in which this is done is to calculate the distance in metres between the Easting and Northing co-ordinates for each location. The measurement in metres is then multiplied by 0.000621317 to convert this measurement to miles. The same method of calculation is used for each direct distance measured. This can be to three, four or five decimal places where necessary.
Distances for split site schools will be measured as above to both sites and the shortest distance will then be used for the application.
If in the event that two or more children live at the same distance from school and it cannot be separated, for example where families live in flats and there are fewer places available, then random allocation will be used to decide which child will be allocated the remaining place(s). The process will be drawn and scrutinised by people who are independent of the council. Random allocation will not be used for multiple birth siblings (twins, triplets etc) from the same family tied for the final place.
Where demand exists, schools admit up to their admission number and no places are reserved for pupils moving into their designated area.
As soon as all applications have been received, including those submitted on line and from outside Bracknell Forest, the LA will consider all applications equally for its maintained schools and apply the admissions arrangements as published.
- Faith-based school with a religious character
A faith-based school with a religious character is required to offer every child who applies, whether of the faith, another faith, or no faith, a place at the school if there is a place available. However, faith-based schools are popular and often over subscribed. Such schools are permitted to use faith-based oversubscription criteria and allocate places by reference to faith where the school is oversubscribed.
- Denominational Grounds for Voluntary Controlled Schools
Where an application is submitted on the basis of denominational grounds (faith based) for Crowthorne VC Primary School, it will be necessary for at least one of the parents/carers of the child concerned to regularly attend a church that is part of the group of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland or the Evangelical Alliance
At least one of the parents/carers, who live at the same address as the child, must attend worship on at least two occasions in each calendar month for at least 8 months of the year in the 12 months prior to the date of application. Attendance does not include services of marriage, funerals or christenings (except for the christening of the child seeking entrance to the particular school).
In the event that during the period specified for attendance at worship the church has been closed for public worship and has not provided alternative premises for that worship, the requirements of these admissions arrangements in relation to attendance will only apply to the period when the church or alternative premises have been available for public worship.
Applicants will need to complete the relevant form in order to confirm that they are applying to the school on denominational grounds. In addition it will then be necessary for the form to be passed onto their local clergy for verification before it is sent to the School Admissions Team.
GENERAL INFORMATION
· Social and Medical Grounds
If a child has a social and medical need that would cause significant physical and / or mental hardship, an applicant can indicate that they wish their application to be considered under social and medical grounds.
It is the applicants responsibility to obtain a Supplementary Social and Medical Information Form which must be completed and returned to the School Admissions Team along with supporting written evidence from a professional by the given closing date. For In-Year applications the evidence must be submitted at the time of application. The supporting evidence for social and medical grounds should be from the relevant registered professional(s) involved with the child. Examples include registered health professionals, such as Consultant, GP, Psychologist or Psychiatrist. All evidence must be on letter headed paper and reflect the child’s current situation.
This evidence must prove why the school in question is the only suitable school and why the child cannot attend another school. This evidence must be specific to the school in question.
It is the applicants responsibility to provide all evidence in support of their request and it is not possible for it to be considered under this criterion if no evidence is supplied.
All schools have the resources to work with special educational needs and common childhood complaints such as asthma.
Requests will be considered in accordance with the Equalities Act 2010.
FOR PRIMARY APPLICATIONS ONLY: Also considered under this criterion on social grounds will be parents who have applied for a place at their designated area school as a higher preferred school (than the one offered) for an older child by the published closing date and the local authority have been unable to meet this preference and a place has been allocated to this older child at an alternative school. If the parent then wishes to apply for this alternative school by the published closing date for their younger child (and the older child will still be attending at the date of admission of the younger child) then the applicant must notify The School Admissions Team on their application for that younger child that they consider this criterion applies and ensure all relevant information is supplied.
If a parent moves house or chooses not to accept the offer of a place at their designated area school then this information will have been recorded by The School Admissions Team at the time and will used in the decision making process as to whether a younger child will be accepted as fulfilling this criterion.
The procedure
Applications on social and medical need will be considered firstly by the panel of officers.
They will consider information on the Social and Medical Supplementary Information Form and any evidence from the relevant professional(s). They will recommend whether a decision can be made to either:
- Allow the application
- To refuse the application –on the grounds that the circumstances of the case does not meet the social and medical criterion.
- The recommendation will then be passed to the School Admissions Manager for a final decision
The decision on the application will be recorded and a letter will be sent to the applicant informing them of the outcome.
· Protected Sibling Status
Parents of children attending a school that was their designated area school at the time of processing the application but where the designated area has changed will have a protection for any younger siblings. The younger sibling’s application will be processed as living in the designated area of the same school as the older sibling is attending even though the designated area has changed.
It is the parent’s responsibility to inform the School Admissions Team on their application that that they fulfil this criterion. This information will then be verified by the School Admissions Team..
The child must still be living at the address within the original designated area from where the parents applied for the older sibling. If a child’s address has changed then this criterion will not be applied.
The older sibling must also still be attending the school where the protected sibling status is being requested.
Note that in all cases the normal admission process will be followed and there will be no guarantee of a place at the school.
· Appeals
If parents have been refused a place at one or more of their preferences they will be informed of their right of appeal. All Admissions authorities must hear appeals submitted by within 30 school days.
· Waiting lists
The LA will maintain waiting lists for all Bracknell Forest maintained schools. Applicants not offered a place at a higher preference school than that which has been offered will automatically be placed on a waiting list for a school that is within Bracknell. Parents should be aware that their child’s name can go up or down the waiting list according to the priority of new additions to the list, for example someone moving into the area is placed on the appropriate place on the waiting list. Waiting lists must be maintained in criteria order at all time. The LA will maintain the waiting lists for all Bracknell Forest maintained schools for the school year for which they have applied. At the end of the school year the waiting list will end and parents will need to reapply for a place for the following year. No reminders will be sent.
The local authority will maintain waiting lists for own admission authority schools unless otherwise agreed.
- Admission of children outside their normal age group
Children are normally allocated to their chronological year group. Requests from parents for school places outside a normal age group will be considered carefully whether for gifted and talented pupils or for those who have experienced problems, e.g. having missed education due to ill health, etc.
Parents must submit their request alongside their In-year application and include all supporting documentation. Each case will be considered on its own merits and circumstances and in the pupil’s best interest.