Admissions Policy

The Governing Body of St Mary’s Catholic Primary School is the Admissions Authority for this school.

The Admissions Policy Criteria will be applied on an Equal Preference basis.

The Governing Body intends to admit up to 30 pupils to the Reception year group in September 2009. This number will apply to the Reception Year and to every other year in the school.

Where there are insufficient places available to meet all parental preferences, priority will be given to applications in the following order:

Catholic Children who are Looked after Children (Children in the care of the Local Authority).
Catholic Children whose home address is within the parish boundaries of St Mary’s Parish
Catholic Children whose home address is outside of the parish boundaries of St Mary’s Parish, but who regularly worship in the Church of St Mary’s Parish
Catholic Children whose home address is outside of the parish boundaries of St Mary’s Parish with a brother or sister already attending the school at the time of admission
Catholic Children whose home address is outside of the parish boundaries of St Mary’s Parish who do not have a brother or sister already attending the school at the time of admission
Non-Catholic Children who are Looked after Children (Children in the care of the Local Authority)
Children of other Christian denominations who have a brother or sister already attending the school at the time of admission.
Children of other Faith traditions who have a brother or sister already attending the school at the time of admission
Other children who have a brother or sister at the school
Children of other Christian denominations who do not have a brother or sister at the school
Children of other Faith traditions who do not have a brother or sister at the school
Other children.

Additional Notes

Catholic Children are Children who have been baptised as Catholics or have been formally received into the Catholic Church. All applicants seeking admission under these criterions will be asked to provide evidence that the child has been baptised as a Catholic or has been received into the Catholic Church.

If applicants are seeking admission under any of criteria 7, 8, 9 or 10 above, they will be asked for a letter of support from their minister or Faith leader, or suitable equivalent. For Christian applicants a baptismal certificate should be provided.

Brothers or sisters include adoptive, half and step siblings and long term foster children residing at the same address.

Parents are asked to note that admission to the Nursery unit is no guarantee of entry into the main school.

Special Medical or Social Needs

Children who have statement of Special Educational Need which names our school will be admitted to the school.

We will consider individual applications involving medical or social needs. This kind of application must be supported in writing by relevant professional agencies i.e. a doctor or social worker. This supporting evidence should set out the particular reasons why the school is most suitable and the difficulties that would be caused if the child had to attend another school.

If your child has Special Educational Needs but does not have a "statement" of need then your application will be considered on the basis of the school's admission criterion.

If you believe your child's special needs are relevant to the reasons for applying to our school, for example on medical or social grounds, then you should tell us about this on your application form including why you want your child to attend our school and what difficulties it would cause should they not be accepted. In these circumstances you must also provide supporting evidence, in writing, from a professional i.e. a doctor or a social worker.

In exceptional circumstances we will determine if it is appropriate to allocate your child a place.

Tie-breaker

Where there are places available for some, but not all applicants within a particular criterion, distance from home address to the school entrance will be the deciding factor, with preference being given to those whose home address is nearest to the school, when measured by the shortest, safest walking route along a council maintained and lit footpath wherever possible.

Right of Appeal

Where a parent has been notified that a place is not available for a child, every effort will be made to help the parent to find a place in a suitable alternative school. Parents who are refused a place have a statutory right of appeal. Further details of the appeals process are available by writing to the Chair of Governors at the school address.

Home Address

It is the parental address which will be used in applying the admission criteria. This means that, when stating your choice of school, you should give the parental/guardian address at the time of application. The address of childminders or other family members who may share in the care of your child should not be quoted as the home address.

*** Waiting Lists (if applicable)

If your child has been refused admission, a waiting list is available where priority will be given according to the above criteria based on the information provided at the time of application.

Application Information

It is very helpful to have an early indication of the number of children to be admitted to the Reception class in the following September. However, it must be stressed that formal written applications for admission must be made on the form provided by the Local Authority and returned to them by the stated date. Places will then be allocated by strict application of the above criteria, with no reference to the date of application. Parents will be notified as to whether or not their child has been allocated a place on Monday 2nd March 2009.

Transfer of School

At 11 years of age the majority of our pupils transfer to St. Wilfrid’s R.C. Comprehensive School. This has a very good reputation and we liaise with the school and its staff, who make our children very welcome. If you intend moving house or changing schools at any time, please let us know. Often we can help in the transfer so that your child is settled as easily as possible.

(We are NOT an automatic feeder school to St. Joseph’s Comprehensive School)

Complaints Procedure.

Parents, who have a concern regarding their child, be it social or academic, should contact the Head Teacher in the first instance when it is hoped that discussion will resolve the matter. Should that not prove the case, the Head Teacher will provide the parents with information available for a formal complaints procedure.