Finding a Primary School Place - A guide for Wiltshire residents seeking a primary school place during the 2016/2017 school year and a directory ...
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Finding a Primary School Place A guide for Wiltshire residents seeking a primary school place during the 2016/2017 school year and a directory of primary, infant and junior schools in Wiltshire.
Applications can be made online at
www.wiltshire.gov.uk
The process is quick and easy.
You will be provided with a confirmation of the information you have
supplied and a quick acknowledgement that this has been received.
You can make changes to your application up until the deadline of
15 January 2016.
You will be guided through the process to ensure that the information
you are giving is all that is required for your application to be processed
and the system helps you by checking for errors.
All you need is a computer which has access to the internet. You can
access at home, at work, at a library – anywhere with a connection to
the worldwide web.
The system is secure. No one can see information that they are not
entitled to see.
Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and there’s no risk of any
postal delays or applications getting lost.
You do not have to complete a written application if you apply online.
www.wiltshire.gov.uk
Visit the web site today to complete your application
Cover photograph is a stock photo – posed by models.Dear Parent
Finding a primary school place
I am delighted to write a short introduction to this booklet, which
outlines details of Wiltshire’s primary schools, together with
information on school admission arrangements. I hope that you will
find it helpful and useful to you and, should you have any comments,
would be pleased to receive them.
Deciding on a school for a child is one of the most important decisions
that parents have to make. I am sure that you will be taking great care
in doing so and will find the time to visit your local schools and form
your own opinions. In doing so I expect you will take account of the
extensive research and advice on what constitutes a good school.
There is no doubt that the leadership and management skills of the
Headteacher, Senior Leadership Team and governors play a critical
part in this and I know that you will see their influence on the schools
that you visit. Similarly, all research indicates that ‘teachers make a
difference’ and you will take close account of the quality of teaching
on offer in your local schools. I am proud to be able to say that
Wiltshire has an outstanding number of excellent schools with high
quality leadership and teaching in them. As well as these factors, you
will also want to consider the range of other opportunities available to
your child, and will take a close note of the school’s atmosphere.
All schools do a great deal to provide a welcoming and purposeful ethos, which again are well
known to be important factors in determining the success of the school.
Admissions to all of Wiltshire’s state primary schools are administered by the School Admissions
Team at County Hall, Bythesea Road, Trowbridge, BA14 8JN. Please feel free to contact
Customer Services if you have any difficulties in understanding the admissions arrangements or
any other topics set out in this guide. The telephone number for admissions queries is 01225
713010.
The information in this guide was correct at the time of issue and relates mainly to the school year
2016/17. It will not necessarily apply to later years. A new version is published each autumn.
I wish your son or daughter every success in their primary education.
Yours sincerely
Carolyn Godfrey, Director for children’s
Services and Corporate DirectorContents
Foreword........................................................ 1 Children with a statement of Special
Aim of the booklet.......................................... 3 Educational Need (SEN) ............................. 11
Choosing a school ......................................... 3 Looked after children (LAC)
and previously looked after children. ............11
Types of school.............................................. 3
Infant to junior transfer..................................12
Split site schools ............................................ 4
Infant to primary transfer ..............................12
Schools with Special learning Centres (SLC) –
resource centres ............................................. 4 Primary / junior to secondary transfer...........12
Admission authorities ..................................... 4 In-year transfer applications..........................12
Admission policies .......................................... 4 Living in Wiltshire and transferring
to another Wiltshire school............................12
Published Admission Number (PAN)............. 5
Applications from forces families ...................13
Designated and shared areas ........................ 5
Further information ........................................14
Reasonable alternative .................................. 5
Free school meals .........................................14
Infant class size ............................................. 5
Home to school transport ..............................14
Co-ordinated admissions .............................. 6
Transport to denominational schools.............15
Applying for a school place .......................... 6
Spare seats scheme ......................................15
Filling in the application form ......................... 6
Applying for transport ....................................15
Completed forms ........................................... 7
Consider a sustainable travel choice ............15
Applications on faith grounds......................... 7
Education welfare service ..............................16
How forms are processed ............................. 7
Support for children from ethnic minorities....16
Notification of offers....................................... 8
Traveller education service.............................16
Non Wiltshire residents ................................. 8
Advisory Centre for Education (ACE) ............16
Applying for an out-of-county school ............ 9
Diocesan boards and departments
Register of interest of a school place ............ 9 of education ....................................................16
Waiting list for voluntary Independent Schools Council (ISC) ...............16
or community schools .................................... 9
Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) .16
Waiting list for foundation and voluntary
aided school and academies......................... 9 Department for education...............................16
Appeals .......................................................... 9 Our neighbouring local authorities.................. .17
Late applications............................................ 10 The admission criteria for all community
and voluntary controlled schools ....................19
Early Years education .................................... 10
Term dates ....................................................20
Local authority nursery classes...................... 10
Starting school .............................................. 11
Deferred admission until later in
the academic year ........................................ 11
Exceptional circumstances requiring delayed
admissions..................................................... 11Aim of the booklet county, Wiltshire Council will allocate a place,
This booklet aims to provide all the information if you live outside Wiltshire, your home local
you need to apply for a primary school place. authority will allocate a school place and you
The first section explains how to make an should contact them directly. Contact details
application and the deadlines for doing so. are given on page 17.
The inserted section gives details of all the Naming second and third preferences will not
state maintained primary schools within your reduce your chance of securing a place for your
district of Wiltshire. Four separate inserts are child at your first preference school. Repeating
available. The areas covered are North, East, your first preference school in the second and
South and West Wiltshire. If you would like to third preference boxes on the application does
receive information about any of these areas not improve your child’s chance of securing a
please call Customer Services on 01225 713010 place at your preferred school. This will result
or visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk only in wasting your preferences as a school can
only be considered once on each application.
Choosing a school
Many schools are now their own Admissions
It is advisable to collect as much information
Authority and have different policies for
about the schools in your area as possible to
admitting pupils.
help you decide which would be most likely to
meet your child’s needs. Before applying, you need to carefully consider
how closely you meet the school’s criteria. For
It is a good idea to visit all the schools you are
example:
considering to gain firsthand experience of
how they are run and to meet the staff and • Some schools will give priority to those with
pupils. Every school has a prospectus which a sister or brother already attending the
will be available on request, from the school school, however, some do not.
This will include: • Other schools may give priority to those
• The main aims and objectives of the school living in a certain geographical area, or who
• National curriculum test results live nearest to the school.
• Information about school policy and rules eg • If the school is a faith school then they may
homework and behaviour give priority to those who regularly attend
• After school clubs and activities an affiliated church.
Schools are regularly inspected by The Office It is very important to read the criteria carefully
for Standards in Education (OfSTED). Report before making your application to try to assess
summaries can be obtained from the individual your chances of success. If a school is
school, local libraries or the OfSTED website: oversubscribed and you don’t meet any of the
www.ofsted.gov.uk school’s admission criteria, you might be better
The common application form supplied off applying to another school. You should also
by Wiltshire Council allows you to express consider how your child will get to your
preferences for up to three schools. Although preferred school. If this is not your designated
more than 97 per cent of parents secured school you will be expected to pay for any
places for their children at a preferred primary required transport.
school for September 2015, some schools are
Types of school
unable to offer places to everyone who
applies to them. If you are interested in one Children living within Wiltshire who are aged
of these very popular schools it is a good four to eleven attend either a primary school
idea carefully to consider second and third or an infant school followed by a junior school.
options where your child has a realistic You will find a list of all of the schools within
chance of being offered a place. If you do one of the four area inserts. If you would like
not name second and third schools when information about schools in North, East, South,
applying and we cannot offer your first or West Wiltshire, please contact Customer
preference your child will be allocated a Services on 01225 713010 or visit
place at the next nearest school with www.wiltshire.gov.uk
available places. If you live within theWithin Wiltshire there are six different types Many schools for example, Voluntary Aided,
of school: voluntary controlled, community, Foundation Schools and Academies are their
voluntary aided, academy, foundation and own Admissions Authority.
independent. Wiltshire Council is the admission authority for
Details of independent schools located in all the community and voluntary controlled
Wiltshire can be obtained through The schools situated within the county.
Independent Schools Council (ISC) on 020 7766 Wiltshire Council is responsible for co-
7070, by email: information@isc.co.uk or the ordinating and administering admissions to all
website: www.isc.co.uk Independent schools schools in Wiltshire except Independent
should be contacted directly regarding the Schools.
admission process for their school.
Wiltshire Council is responsible for Admission policies
administering admissions to all schools in Each admission authority (this may be the
Wiltshire except Independent Schools. This school) is required to publish details of its
means that applications for the year of entry admission procedure and how applications will
at any of these schools should be made be processed. This policy will also advise how
through Wiltshire Council. many places are available at the school and how
priority will be given on applications when there
Split site schools
are more applications than places available.
Some primary schools in Wiltshire operate as a
single school but have two geographical bases. These policies are reviewed every year so it is
Where both bases operate a full key stage 1 important to check the most recent version to
and key stage 2 provision on both sites, for ensure you are correctly informed of your child’s
admission purposes, the sites are treated as priority for a place at your preferred schools.
separate schools. Applications should name As the admission authority for all voluntary
the site for which you are applying. You may controlled and community schools Wiltshire
apply for both sites if you wish: if you choose to Council also publishes an admissions policy
do so then you must name them as two of your which can be found on page 19 of this
preferences. Examples of split site schools: booklet. This policy has been agreed by the
The Mead or The Mead at Wingfield Elected Members of Wiltshire Council and is
Corsham Primary (Pound Pill) or Corsham determined in line with the regulations laid
Primary (Broadwood) down by the School Standards and Framework
Act 1998 as amended by subsequent Education
Schools with Special learning Centres Acts and is in accordance with the School
(SLC) – resource centres Admissions Code produced by the Department
Please note that if you are applying for a place for Education.
at a mainstream school that has an SLC on
site and you are offered a place at the This policy does not apply to Voluntary
mainstream school, this does not mean that Aided, Foundation Schools or Academies.
your child will be able to access the centre. Summaries of the policies for voluntary aided
Places at SLC are offered through Central SEN and foundation schools and academies can
Services and not by the school admissions be found within the inserted directory. In the
team. Children who have access to SLC will directory section you will see a set of figures
have a Statement of Special Educational Need. which show under which admission criteria
children were admitted to each school for the
last three years. This should give you an idea of
Admission authorities
the availability of places at the school and help
Each school has an admission authority which you to determine what priority will be given to
is the body responsible for deciding whether your application if the school is oversubscribed.
a place is available for a child to attend a
particular school.You should also get a feel for the likelihood priority for a place than any out-of-area children.
of you making a successful application to a To find out your local or designated area
particular school. If details of your preferred school for your address, please contact
schools are not shown on these pages, Customer Services on 01225 713010 who will
please contact the schools directly for more be able to advise you or alternatively please
Information. visit, www.wiltshire.gov.uk.
Published Admission Number (PAN)
Reasonable alternative
Each school has a PAN. This takes into
If we are unable to offer a place for your child
account the physical size of the teaching areas
at one of your preferred schools and you live
(capacity) and the number of year groups in
within Wiltshire, the School Admissions Team
the school. The PAN is the number of children will seek a place for your child at a reasonable
which, if admitted to every year group, would alternative school. A reasonable alternative
bring the school up to the capacity of its is usually a school within the statutory safe
buildings. In normal circumstances schools will walking distance of your home address. If
not admit children, especially those from out of your child is under eight, this is two miles,
their designated area, if they have already for children eight or over this distance
reached their PAN. On the other hand schools increases to three
cannot refuse any intake year application if miles. The School Transport Section of Wiltshire
they are not up to their PAN. The PAN is Council is responsible for determining the safe
therefore a very important number and you will walking distance. Further details regarding school
find each school’s published admission transport can be found on pages 14 and 15.
number in the inserted directory sections of In some areas it is not possible to find a
the guide. Schools may admit over PAN if reasonable alternative school within walking
there is no reasonable alternative (see distance , in these circumstances your child
Reasonable Alternative and Infant Class Size would be entitled to transport to the closest
alternative school.
Prejudice sections).
Infant class size
Designated and shared areas
Many admission policies will refer to the Legislation currently states that infant classes
must not contain more than 30 pupils with a
designated area or more commonly
single teacher. Additional children may be
known as a catchment area of the school.
admitted under limited exceptional
This area is the geographical zone which circumstances. These children will remain an
is served by a particular school. To be ‘excepted pupil’ for the time they are in an infant
within the designated area of a school class or until the class numbers fall back to current
you will have to live at an address within infant class size limit. The excepted children are:
this geographical zone. a) Children admitted outside the normal
A school is not always at the centre of its admissions round with statements of special
designated area. educational needs specifying a school;
Living in a designated area, however,
does not guarantee a place at any b) Looked after children and previously looked
school. after children admitted outside the normal
admissions round;
In some parts of Wiltshire designated areas
overlap and particular addresses might be c) Where a mistake has been made by the
within the designated area of two or more Local Authority which denied a place to a
child who should have been offered one;
schools. Children living within such areas will
be given the same priority as children living d) Children admitted after an independent
in areas where their address is served by just appeals panel upholds an appeal;
one school. At Community and Voluntary e) Where there is no alternative school that the
Controlled Schools all in-area children have a child could reasonably attend;
higherf) Children of UK service personnel admitted If your child has a statement of special
outside the normal admissions round; educational need, you should contact your case
g) Children whose twin or sibling from a worker as the admission for him or her will be
multiple birth is admitted otherwise than as handled by the Central SEND Team at County
an excepted pupil; Hall and not by the School Admissions Team.
h) Children with special educational needs who You cannot apply online or use the common
are normally taught in a special educational application form in these circumstances.
needs unit attached to the school, or registered Filling in the application form
at a special school, who attend some infant
It is important that the application form is
classes within the mainstream school.
completed fully. If you have any questions about
Co-ordinated admissions completing the form, please contact Customer
All admissions to the intake year of primary Services on 01225 713010.
Schools are co-ordinated by the Admissions On the form you are asked to give the name
Team at County Hall. This means that everyone of ‘the applicant’. The person applying for
who lives in Wiltshire must complete a common on behalf of the child must have parental
application form even if the school you want responsibility. It is important to name just
your child to attend is outside Wiltshire. There one person in this section and ensure your
is a national deadline date for all relationship to the child is given in the
applications and a national offer date. The appropriate space.
deadline date in Wiltshire is 15 January The home address given for the child
2016. National offer date is 18 April 2016. should be the address where the child will
Applying for a school place be living at the time of the deadline, which
is 15 January 2016. This address is very
You must apply for a school place: one will not
important in helping to determine your child’s
be allocated automatically. You can apply online
priority for
using www.wiltshire.gov.uk – details are given at
a school place. If the address given is not the
the front of this guide. If you apply online you
same as that of the applicant, please attach
do not need to complete a paper application.
details of the child’s residential arrangements
There is a common application form which to the application form. If you have shared
should be used by all Wiltshire residents who custody of your child such that he or she has
wish to apply for the normal point of entry two addresses, the address given on the child
(reception year or year three juniors) for a benefit notification letter will be taken as
primary school place. A child will be due to the child’s home address. Where schools are
start Primary School in September 2016 if they oversubscribed, you may be asked to provide
were born between 1 September 2011 and proof that your family were living at the address
31 August 2012. given on the application form at the time of the
Application forms will be available from deadline. The Local Authority reserves the right
nurseries, Pre-schools, Primary Schools or from to check details held on the Council Tax
Customer Services on 01225 713010. You can database to confirm address details.
also download a copy of the primary application Parents may choose up to three preferred
form from the website: www.wiltshire.gov.uk schools which should be named in order of
If you do not live within Wiltshire, you must preference on the application form. You do not
complete the common application form which is have to name three schools, but it is important
produced by your home local authority, even if you to consider alternatives in case we are unable
wish to apply for a place at a Wiltshire school. to offer a place at your preferred school. You can
name any school which is state maintained on
this form. If you wish to apply for an independent
school, you should contact the school directly for
information about how to apply.Naming just one school on your application Late applications will not be considered until all
does not increase the chance of your child those applications received before the deadline
securing a place at that school, neither does have been processed, which means that you
naming the same preference more than once. are less likely to secure a place at your
Multiple applications for the same child cannot preferred school.
be processed, therefore it is important that both The receipt of your application will be
parties in shared custody arrangements are in acknowledged. This applies to all paper and
agreement over the preferred school(s) named. online applications. If you have not received an
Failure to provide a definitive application could acknowledgement within fifteen school days of
jeopardise your child’s priority for a school place. returning your completed application form, please
If you wish to make changes to your preferences contact Customer Services at Wiltshire Council
before the deadline date you need to submit on 01225 713010.
another form or amend your online application.
Applications on faith grounds
On the form you are asked to provide
information regarding your child’s religious Some foundation and aided schools require
status. This information is only relevant if you additional information to that which is collected
are applying for your child to attend a faith on the application form. This will help them
school. If this is not the case, this section can be decide the children who can be offered a place
left blank. If you are applying for a faith school, at their school. If you are applying on faith
this information and any supporting evidence grounds, you must contact your preferred
the school may ask you to provide could affect school(s) as you are likely to be required to
your child’s priority for a place at the school. provide evidence of faith, for example a
Therefore it is essential that you also contact baptismal certificate or a reference from your
your preferred school(s) to determine whether minister.
such additional information is required. You may also be required to provide additional
If you have other children of primary school age information by your preferred school(s) on a
attending Wiltshire schools, this information supplementary form. Failure to provide the
should be included on the application form in the additional information may result in your child not
appropriate box as many schools will award securing a place at your preferred school.
higher priority for school places to children who Please do not send supplementary
have brothers or sisters already at the school. information back to the Local Authority, it
If it is found that an application has been made must go back to the school.
fraudulently, a school place which has been It is very important to remember that
offered as a result of this application may be completing a supplementary form does not
withdrawn. mean that you have made an application.
Completed forms You must apply online or on a common
application form and submit it to Wiltshire
Once you have completed your child’s
Council.
application form it should be returned to:
The School Admissions Team How forms are processed
Wiltshire Council All application forms for children living in
County Hall Wiltshire should be sent to the Admissions Team
Trowbridge Wiltshire at County Hall, Trowbridge. We will send details
BA14 8JN of applications with preferences for schools
in other counties and boroughs to their own
All forms must be received at the address no education offices.
later than 15 January 2016.
Information about applications made to
Any application form received after this time foundation, voluntary aided schools and
will be treated as a late application. academies within the county will be passed on
to those schools.The individual admission authorities will Admissions Team on this date. Details of
consider all applications made for their school the outcome of your application will not be
and rank these in order of priority by using their available before this date.
oversubscription criteria. The school place offered will be at your
This ranked list will then be sent back to the highest preference school which has a
School Admissions Team. place available. If we are unable to offer
When all of the admission authorities have you a place at any of your preferred schools,
returned this information to Wiltshire Council a school place will be allocated.
it will be used to decide which school can offer
The notification letter will detail all the
your child a place. An offer will be made at the
preferences you made as well as indicating
highest preference school you have named
which school place your child is being offered.
which can accommodate your child. If both
If you move house after completing the
the first and second preference school could be
application form, please ensure that you contact
offered, the first preference school would be
Customer Services on 01225 713010 with your
given, even if the second preference was closer
new address details. Proof of your new address
to home.
is required.
If you live in Wiltshire and we cannot offer
It is important that you follow the instructions
a place to your child at any of your
on the offer letter, by either accepting or
preferred schools, a place will be allocated
at an alternative school. declining the place offered for your child.
Details of where to send this information and
We will inform other local authorities of any the date this must be done by will be included
offers of places at Wiltshire Schools to be made within the letter. Failure to respond to this letter
to applicants who live in their areas. Other local may result in the school place being withdrawn
authorities will inform us of any offers of places to and the place offered to another applicant.
Wiltshire residents which they are able to make.
Our proposed allocations will be matched with Non Wiltshire residents
those from other authorities and any multiple If you do not live in Wiltshire you may still
offers will be removed. We will ensure that express a preference for a school within the
the higher preference is offered if there is an County. However your application should be
application for an out of county school to consider. made on the form produced by your local
The processing will take some time and each authority, which can be obtained from the
child will receive an offer of just one school place. education offices of the county or borough in
which you live (see page 17 for contact details).
Please note that the order in which you have
listed your preferences is only looked at after When you have returned your form to them,
schools have ranked all applicants. No school details of your preference will be forwarded
can give higher priority if you have named them to Wiltshire Council. If you are seeking a place
as your first preference on the application form. at an voluntary aided, foundation school or
academy we will pass on your application
Your ranked position for each school will be
details to that school.
determined by applying the admissions criteria
for that school: preferences are treated equally For example, if you live in Frome and want to
in the ranking process. apply for St John’s Catholic School in
Trowbridge, you should fill in a Somerset form
Notification of offers and return it to Somerset County Council. They
Offers will be posted to Wiltshire residents will send your application details to Wiltshire
on 18 April 2016. All Wiltshire applicants Council and these will be forwarded to St John’s.
will receive an offer for one Primary school Your application will be considered by St John’s
place which will be posted out by the School alongside all other applications for the school.Applying for an out-of-county school Waiting list for foundation and voluntary aided
If you live in Wiltshire and wish to express a school and academies
preference for a school outside the county, you Foundation and voluntary aided schools and
may do so. academies maintain their own waiting list once
the application process has been completed
You must complete a Wiltshire form and return
and if any places become available at the school
it to the School Admissions Team at County
applicants will be considered as outlined in the
Hall. We will ensure that your preference details
school’s published policy.
are passed on to the appropriate authority.
For information regarding waiting list at any
For example, if you live in Royal Wootton
foundation and aided schools and academies
Bassett and want to apply for Wroughton
please contact the school directly.
Infants School in Wroughton Swindon, you
must complete a Wiltshire form and return it to Appeals
County Hall, Trowbridge. We will pass on your If you have not secured a school place at your
application details to Swindon Borough Council preferred school(s) you have the right to appeal
where it will be considered alongside the other to an independent appeal panel. If you wish to
applications for the school. appeal, please contact Customer Services on
Register of interest of a school place 01225 713010, who will be able to advise you of
Some schools collect names of parents the action you need to take.
interested in their school, sometimes many You have a right of appeal against any school
years before the child is due to start school. we have refused or not considered.
It is important to note that any waiting or If you have applied to foundation, voluntary
registration lists kept by a school, to which you aided schools or academies, details of the
may have added your child’s name prior to the appeal process can be obtained directly from
normal application process do not constitute the school. It is important to note that some
a formal application. Applications must be schools may require that you appeal the
submitted as outlined within this guide. decision within a strict timescale.
Waiting list for voluntary or community schools Your appeal will be heard by an independent
If your child has been refused admission to any appeal panel, which will consider:
voluntary controlled or community school, his or • Whether the relevant admissions authority
her name will automatically be placed on a followed its own admissions policy and if it
waiting list. This list will close on the last school had good reasons for not offering your child
day of the July term. To remain on the waiting a place (e.g. the school was over-subscribed
list for the new academic year you must make and other children met the over-subscription
a fresh application. Such applications should be criteria more closely.)
made from the April prior to the new academic • Whether your child’s need to be at the
year. For more information regarding waiting school is greater than the effects of having
lists please visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk or contact additional children at the school.
Customer Services on 01225 713010.
• Your reasons for wanting your child to attend
It is important to note that any waiting list has to the school.
be kept in priority order determined by the
• Any supporting evidence that might be
admission criteria as given on page 19 of this
relevant to your case (although this may not
guide. We will not keep waiting lists in date
apply if this is for an infant class size appeal
order of receipt of applications. This means that
– you should ask about this before an
your position on the waiting list can change as
appeal.)
new names are added to it.In a case where the Admissions Authority has This equates to 570 hours per year. Providers
refused to give a child a place because it would offer a variety of part-time and longer hours in a
take an infant school class over 30 pupils, the community area. Providers may make additional
two stage process does not apply. This is charges for services but these must not be a
called an Infant Class Size appeal and the barrier for more children to attend.
appeal panel can only allow it if: Eligibility for the scheme is determined by the
(i) the decision was not one which a reasonable date of birth as set out by the Government. For
admission authority would have made; or details of the scheme and a list of registered
providers within Wiltshire, please visit the
(ii) the child would have been offered a place if
Wiltshire Council website and the online childcare
the admission arrangements had been
directory at
properly implemented;
www.wiltshire.gov.uk/earlyyearsparentcarer or
(iii) the admission of any additional children contact Early Years & Childcare on either 01225
would not breach the infant class size limit. 757950 or earlyyears@wiltshire.gov.uk
The appeal panel’s decision is binding on Attending a particular pre-school or nursery
parents and the admission authority alike. If does not entitle a child to any greater priority
your appeal is successful, your child will be for admission to any primary school.
offered a place at the school.
Local authority nursery classes
Late applications In Wiltshire there are nine schools with nursery
If you apply after the deadline of 15 January classes which offer free part-time education for
2016, your application will not be considered 3 and 4 year olds:
until all those applications received before
the deadline have been processed. This Bulford Kiwi Primary School
means that the outcome of your application Salisbury Pembroke Park Primary School
will not be determined until late June 2016 at
the earliest. Salisbury Woodlands Primary School
Trowbridge, Bellefield Primary and Nursery
Early Years education
School
Free, good quality, part-time pre-school
education is available to eligible 2 year olds and The remaining five nursery classes are in
all three and four year olds. Children are funded aided or foundation schools:
from the 1 September, 1 January or the 1 April Bulford St Leonard’s CE Primary
following their second or third birthday and School (Bulford)
entitled to up to 15 hours per week.
River Mead School (Melksham)
Hours may be taken with any provider
registered on the Directory held within the Clarendon Infants’ School (Tidworth)
Early Years and Childcare team. These
Zouch Primary Academy (Tidworth)
providers include a range of nurseries, pre
schools, school nursery classes, independent The Avenue School ( Warminster)
schools, and childminders. Eligible 2 year
Applications for a nursery place at any of these
olds can access their hours at providers
nine schools should be made directly to the
with either a ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ Ofsted
individual nursery school.
judgement, whilst 3 & 4 year olds can
access their hours at providers with at least Priority for admission to the community and
a ‘requires improvement’ Ofsted judgement. voluntary controlled nursery schools (the first
The hours are free to the parent and the listed) will be determined using the following
childcare setting is reimbursed by funding criteria:
from Wiltshire Council. 1. Children within the care of a local
Up to fifteen hours free early education are authority.
available each week for 38 weeks per year. 2. Children living within the school’s
designated or shared area.3. Children living outside of the designated Deferred admission until later in the
or shared area of the school who will academic year
reach the age of four during the school A school place in the reception class is
year. Within categories 2 and 3 priority will available for children from the September of the
be determined in the following order: academic year in which they turn five. Where
• Medical or social reasons (supported by an offer of a place is made to a child below
the appropriate authority). compulsory school age, parents have the right
to defer their child’s entry to school until later in
• Children who have a brother or sister
the school year. The place is held for the child
already attending the school.
and is not available to be offered to another
If more applications are received than places child. Entry may not be deferred beyond the
are available within these categories, the beginning of the point at which the child reaches
straight line distance from the child’s home compulsory school age and not beyond the
address and the nursery will be used as a beginning of the final term of the school year for
tiebreaker with the child living closest being which it was made.
afforded the highest priority. If two or more
Where a parent or guardian chooses to defer
distances are identical, the allocation of places
their child’s admission beyond the academic
will be determined by the casting of lots.
year for which admission is sought, the place
Starting school originally offered cannot be held over and a
Legislation states that your child must be in full fresh application is required. Children whose
time education from the start of the term entry is deferred are usually expected to join
following his or her fifth birthday. In Wiltshire their chronological peer group, i.e. year 1
children can start school at the earliest from the unless the parents submit an application for
September following their fourth birthday. admission to an alternative year group.
Your child will not be entitled to start school Admissions of children outside their normal
before this time. age group.
In exceptional medical or social circumstances Parents may seek a place for their child
(where supporting evidence can be provided outside of their normal age group, for
by a specialist) which adversely affect the child example, if the child is gifted and talented or
and where no suitable pre-school provision is has experienced problems such as ill health.
available, early admission may be permitted for Parents of a summer born child may choose
a maximum of one traditional term. not to send their child to a school until the
Should you wish to apply for an early admission September following their fifth birthday and
for one term in view of exceptional they may request that they are admitted
circumstances and where no suitable pre- outside their normal age group – to reception
school provision is available, please write to the rather than year 1. All admission authorities
School Admissions Team who will refer this are required to make clear in their admission
application to the relevant professional(s). arrangements the process for requesting
admission outside of the normal age group.
All children due to start reception from
September 2016 will be eligible to attend full The decisions on requests for applications
time. If parents wish their child to attend part outside the child’s normal age group are made
time from September 2016 or to defer entry until by the Admission Authority for any particular
later on in the academic year for which school, which in the case of Voluntary Controlled
admission is sought they must arrange this with & Community Schools is the Council. For
the school. Schools should make clear their Voluntary Aided, Foundation Schools or
admission and induction policies. Academies the Admissions Authority is the
governing body of the school concerned. The
decision to admit outside of their normal age
group is made on the basis of the circumstances
of each case. All parents who wish to apply for
delayed entry into reception forany Wiltshire school, must first submit a formal Looked after children (LAC) and
application to the Local Authority. If they are previously looked after children
applying for a Voluntary Controlled or Under the Children Act 1989, a child is looked
Community school, they will also need to make after by a local authority if he or she is in their
a written request at the time of application to the care or is provided with accommodation by a
Local Authority’s admissions co-ordinator, local authority. Such children fall into four main
groups.
providing reasons for the request along with any
supporting documentation they wish to include. • Children who are accommodated under a
voluntary agreement with their parents.
All requests should be made in the September • Children who are the subject of a care order
following the child’s 3rd birthday, in order to give or interim care order.
sufficient time for the case to be considered by
• Children who are the subject of emergency
the admissions authority prior to the deadline for
orders for the protection of the child.
applications of 15 January.
• Children who are compulsorily
The Local Authority will make decisions on the accommodated, including children
basis of the circumstances of each case and in remanded to the local authority or subject to
the best interests of the child concerned. a criminal justice supervision order with a
residence requirement.
If the parental request for delayed admission It is a statutory requirement for looked after
into reception is agreed, a separate application children and previously looked after children to
for a place in the next cohort would have to be be given the top priority in any oversubscription
made in the September following the child’s 4th criteria.
birthday. This application would be considered When making an application, you must make it
along with all the other applicants for admission clear if you are applying for a place for a Child
in that year at the preferred school. There would in Care or a previously looked after child.
be no guarantee that a place would be able to You will need to provide information and a
be offered in the preferred school. If the copy of the relevant order. Please ensure this
preferred school is over-subscribed and you are is provided by deadline date.
not offered a place, the Local Authority will make Infant to junior transfer
an alternative offer. However please note that Children who are in year two at an infant
delayed admission in to reception in the school have a greater priority for a place at
alternative school may not be possible. the linked community or voluntary controlled
junior school than other children. This priority
If the parental request for delayed admission is dependent upon the completion and return
into reception is refused, the formal application of the required application prior to the closing
which has already been submitted will be date of 15 January 2016. The priorities for
processed, unless the Local Authority receives a admissions to voluntary aided or foundation
request from the parent to withdraw the schools may be different. For details please
application. refer to the directory sections of this guide or
contact the schools directly.
Children with a statement of Special Infant to primary transfer
Educational Need (SEN)
Children who are in year two at an infant school
A child with a statement of SEN naming a and wish to apply for a primary school place
particular school must be admitted by that from year three, must complete a primary
school and is not subjected to the standard transfer form. Application forms can be
admission process described in this booklet. obtained by calling customer services on
Your case worker will assist in finding an 01225 713010. Details are also available online
appropriate placement for your child. via www.wiltshire.gov.ukPrimary School or Junior School to secondary
Living in Wiltshire and transferring to an
transfer out-of-county school
Information regarding the admission process If you currently live in Wiltshire and wish to
and deadlines for Wiltshire residents who wish apply to transfer your child to a school in
to apply for a secondary school place can be another county then you must contact the local
obtained through a separate booklet: ‘Finding authority in that county for details on how to
a Secondary School Place’. This booklet and apply.
application forms can be obtained by calling Live outside Wiltshire and would like to
Customer Services on 01225 713010. Details apply for a school in Wiltshire.
are also available online via If you live outside Wiltshire and would like to
www.wiltshire.gov.uk transfer your child to a school in Wiltshire you
should apply directly to Wiltshire Council.
If your child is in their final year of primary
education at a maintained Wiltshire school, To obtain a copy of a transfer application form
they will be given a secondary application form please contact Customer Services on 01225
during the autumn term. You must apply for a 713010 or download a form from
secondary school place from 1 September 2015. www.wiltshire.gov.uk
The deadline for applications for the year seven If you are applying for a community or voluntary
intake in 2016 is 31 October 2015. controlled school we will make the decision on
your application. If you are applying to an
In-year transfer applications
academy, foundation or aided school,
The normal round of admission will be for the governing body will make the decision.
children starting school for the first time or for Interviews cannot form part of the admissions
children joining a junior school in year three in process for any school. Once a decision has
September 2016. However, you may wish to been made Wiltshire Council will write to you
apply for a change of schools, either because with the decision.
you are moving to the area or you wish for
your child to transfer schools. You have the All applications will be considered in order of
right to state a preference for any school. If this receipt. If two or more applications are received
is the case, you should complete the transfer on the same day, these will be prioritised using
application form, which is available from the oversubscription criteria for the school. For
Customer Services on 01225 713010 and from details of the admission arrangements for an
most primary, infant and junior schools. academy, aided or foundation schools, please
consult the directory sections of this guide and
Living in Wiltshire and transferring to another contact the school directly.
Wiltshire school The decision letter will provide information, if
If you live in Wiltshire and would like to appropriate, about the statutory right of appeal.
transfer your child to a school in Wiltshire you
Your child should not be removed from school
should apply directly to Wiltshire Council.
unless an alternative school place or educational
To obtain a copy of a transfer application form provision has been secured elsewhere. Unless
please contact Customer Services on you have moved house and it is not practical for
01225 713010 or download a form from your child to continue at their present school,
www.wiltshire.gov.uk . If you are applying for mid-term transfers will only be agreed where
a community or voluntary controlled school both present and preferred school head
we will make the decision on your teachers are in agreement that it would be
application. If you are applying to an detrimental to the child not to allow the move.
academy, foundation or aided school, the Applications may be made in advance of the
governing body will make the decision. required date of entry but they will not be
Interviews cannot form part of the considered until the beginning of the traditional
admissions process for any school. Once a
decision has been made, Wiltshire Council
will write to you.term prior to the required date of entry, a term Further information
in advance of the required date. Calls will be handled by Customer Services who
If you move house and choose to keep your can be contacted directly on 01225 713010.
child at his or her present school beyond the Your call will be logged and an immediate
current school year, rather than apply for a response will be given whenever possible.
transfer, this may affect your entitlement for Should Customer Services be unable to provide
transport to and from school if applicable. an immediate response, details of your query
Please contact Passenger Transport on will be passed to the School Admissions Team
01225 713000 for information. and you will be advised when to expect a
response.
Applications from forces families Free school meals
Families of UK Service Personnel are subject
For queries on entitlement to free school meals
to frequent movement within the UK and from
please contact Helen Shorten Research &
abroad, often at relatively short notice. Some
Statistics Team at County Hall on 01225 713780.
areas in Wiltshire have a high density of
service personnel. Home to school transport
If you are moving to Wiltshire and have children
of school age please contact Customer Services Entitlement for home to school transport is dealt
on +44 (0)1225 713010 or email with separately to the school admissions
process.
admissions@wiltshire.gov.uk for advice at the
earliest opportunity. Applications for children of Every home in Wiltshire has a designated
UK Service Personnel with a confirmed posting school for transport purposes. This may differ
to the county, or Crown Servants returning from from the designated schools listed by the
overseas to live in the county, will be considered Admissions team. If you choose for your child to
in advance of the family moving into the county if attend a school which is not designated for
necessary. Where possible, an application must transport entitlement from your address, it will
be included in the normal admission round. be your responsibility as a parent to make and
pay for any transport arrangements while your
An official letter, such as a Posting note or child attends that school.
letter of support from the Commanding
Officer should be sent to Wiltshire Council as If you are unsure of which is your designated
soon as possible. This should include the school for transport purposes, please e-mail
relocation date and unit postal address or educationtransport@wiltshire.gov.uk or write
quartering area address (the address of the to The Passenger Transport Unit, Wiltshire
closest house in the nearest ‘quartering Council, Trowbridge, BA14 8JN stating your
area’). home address and the schools you are thinking
of applying for. Please specify if you are, or
The Council will not refuse a child of the UK expect to be in receipt of free school meals or
service personnel a place because the family are receiving the maximum level of Working
does not currently live in the area. It is also not Tax Credit (WTC) for your case as additional
permitted to reserve a place for any child. benefits may be applicable to you. For any
Children will be considered to be siblings if any other advice on transport call 01225 713253
brother or sister is going to be attending a school. for northern Wiltshire, 01225 713578 for
The sibling link will not apply if the child that is eastern Wiltshire or 01225 713398 for
going to be attending the school will be in year 6. southern and western Wiltshire.
Places can be allocated in advance of your move, Free or assisted transport for children living in
however we cannot guarantee that your children Wiltshire is arranged at the start of their
will be offered a place at a particular Wiltshire
schooling, or when there is a change of school
school. We would not place a child in an
oversubscribed school if places are available at a or home address.
reasonable alternative schoolIt is the parent’s responsibility to apply for home • the seat is required for an entitled pupil or
to school transport. It should not be assumed one with a higher priority, e.g an older
that public transport, provided in a previous child or siblings of one already travelling
year, will still be available. • on reviewing the transport requirement,
Your child may be entitled to free school the service is withdrawn. (In certain
transport if: areas it has been possible
• The child is aged less than eight to convert contract school buses into
years and lives two miles or more public services, thereby enabling pupils
from their nearest or designated not entitled to free transport, whose
primary school (for transport parents wish them to do so,
purposes) measured by the shortest to continue travelling as fare paying
walking distance passengers).
However, where pupils are able to travel
• The child is aged between eight and 11
between home and school on vehicles for which
inclusive and lives three miles or more
fares may be paid, they may not be allocated a
from their nearest or designated
spare seat place.
primary school (for transport purposes)
measured by the shortest walking Applying for transport
distance Application forms for transport to school will be
• The child is aged between 8 and 11 available from schools around Easter time. You
years, lives two miles or more from can also print forms from our website www.
their nearest or designated primary wiltshire.gov.uk or call our Customer Services
school ( for transport purposes) Team on 0300 456 0100 to request a form. You
measured by the shortest walking can also e-mail us direct at educationtransport@
distance and is entitled to free school wiltshire.gov.uk and supply us with your postal
meals or is from a household in receipt address to request a form.
of the maximum level of Working Tax Forms should be completed and returned to the
Credit (or any new benefit as advised Passenger Transport Unit at County Hall before
by HM government under the current 1 June for transport requested for the start of
benefit review) the autumn term, or with at least three weeks’
• The child lives within the qualifying notice at any other time of the year. Each
distance but the route the child would application is considered on its own merits. You
walk to school is assessed by Wiltshire must apply for school transport as it will not be
Council as unsafe to walk even when provided automatically. You are also advised to
accompanied by an adult apply as soon as you have been informed of the
school place your child has been offered.
Wiltshire Council reserves the right to decide on
the type of transport provided. Normally pupils
travel on vehicles contracted to the council or by
public bus or rail services when a season ticket
will be provided. Misbehaviour on the transport or
misuse of a pass will lead to the child being
temporarily or permanently excluded from using
that transport.
Spare seats scheme
Where spare seats are available on contract
vehicles, they may be allocated to non-entitled
pupils at a charge. This offer of a ‘spare seat’
place is made on the understanding that any
seat allocated will have to be relinquished if,
at a later date:Consider a sustainable travel choice Wiltshire Council has a duty under the Education and Inspections Act to promote sustainable modes of travel to school. Our School Travel Plan Advisor is working with Wiltshire schools to develop, update and implement travel plans. The aim of a travel plan is to reduce car-borne journeys to and from the school site, and to promote and encourage sustainable modes of travel. Walking and cycling regularly will help improve people’s health, and will reduce congestion, thereby helping the environment. Where walking, cycling or public transport are not feasible, bus travel, car sharing or park and stride may be an option. Find out whether the schools you are considering for your child are promoting sustainable travel by speaking to the Headteacher about the school’s Travel Plan. For more information about school travel plans in general, contact the School Travel Plan team on 01225 713883 or email: travelplanning@wiltshire.gov.uk
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