Qualifying Co-ordinated Admissions Scheme for Primary Schools in the Area of Tameside Local Education Authority 2009/10

Introduction

The scheme applies to arrangements in Tameside whereby children are to be admitted to primary schools in the normal admissions round for the academic year 2009/10. Tameside will operate an equal preference scheme.

Interpretation

In this scheme –

“admission arrangements” means the arrangements for a particular school or schools which govern the procedures and decision making for the purposes of admitting pupils to the school;

“admission authority” in relation to a community or voluntary controlled school means the LA and, in relation to a VA school means the governing body of that school;

“eligible for a place” means that a child has been placed on a school’s ranked list at such a point which falls within the school’s published admission number.

“nearest appropriate school” is defined by distance measured as a straight line from the child’s home address to the main gate to the school property using the LA’s school admissions data mapping software, which uses a Geographical Information System based on Ordnance Survey. The address from which distances are measured will be the permanent residential address, at the time of application, of the parent.

“primary education” has the same meaning as in section 2(1) of the Education Act 1996;

“primary school” has the same meaning as in section 5(1) of the Education Act 1996;

“the LA” means Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council acting in their capacity as local education authority;

“the LA area” means the area in respect of which the LA are the local education authority;

“the specified year” means the school year beginning at or about the beginning of September 2009;

“school” means a community, voluntary controlled or voluntary aided school (but not a special school) which is maintained by the LA;

“VA schools” means such of the schools as are voluntary aided schools.

The Scheme

The main purpose of the co-ordinated scheme is to ensure that every parent/carer of a child living in Tameside who has completed an application form receives only one offer of a primary school place in the normal admission round.

The scheme applies to arrangements in Tameside whereby children are to be admitted to primary schools in the normal admissions round for the academic year 2009/10 (i.e. children who will be commencing Reception Year in September 2009).

The following admission authorities are covered by the scheme:

There will be a standard form known as the Common Application Form (CAF). The CAF will be used for the purpose of admitting pupils into the first year of primary education at schools in the LA’s area in the specified year.

The CAF must be used as a means of expressing up to three preferences for the purposes of section 86 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (as amended), by parents wishing to express a preference for their child to be admitted to any school within the LA area (excluding independent schools).

The CAF will –

• invite the parent to express preferences for up to 3 schools;
• invite the parent to rank the schools applied for in order of preference;
• invite parents to give their reasons for each preference;
• specify that all forms should be submitted to the preferred school by Friday, 28th November 2008 closing date.

All preferences expressed on the CAF are valid applications.

The LA will make appropriate arrangements to ensure:

• that the CAF is available on request from the LA and from all primary schools in the LA area
• that parents can apply online
• that the CAF is accompanied by a written explanation of the co-ordinated admissions scheme
• that parents are clearly informed of how to apply for schools outside the LA area.

The LA will distribute the Tameside school admissions booklet ‘Starting Out’, common application forms and covering letters to primary schools for distribution to parents by the 13th October 2008. Individual schools will be responsible for distributing a CAF and the ‘Starting Out’ booklet to all parents who have registered their child’s details at the school. Schools may choose to distribute additional information about their particular school.

Copies of the ‘Starting Out’ booklet will also be available on Tameside’s website, and parents will be able to complete applications online for September 2009 admissions.

The governing body of a VA school can require parents who wish to indicate a preference for their school on the CAF, to provide additional information on a supplementary form and/or complete supplementary application details only where the additional information is required for the governing body to apply their oversubscription criteria to the application. Where a supplementary form is required it must be submitted in accordance with school guidelines.

Where a school receives a supplementary form it will not be regarded as a valid application unless the parent has also completed a CAF and the school is nominated on it. Under the requirements of the scheme, parents will not be under any obligation to complete an individual school’s supplementary form where this is not strictly required for the governing body to apply their oversubscription criteria.
The closing date for applications is 28 November 2008. Forms must be returned by primary schools to the LA Admissions Team as soon as possible after the closing date.

Processing of the Common Application Form (CAF)

All schools should forward copies of all completed CAFs to the Admissions Section. If any parent approaches a voluntary aided school direct about admissions, the governing body must ensure that the parent completes and submits a CAF.

The LA will forward the CAF, together with any additional information provided by the parent, to all voluntary aided schools where the school is a parental preference. This will enable all admission authorities to be informed of parental preferences. All applications will be dealt with on an equal preference basis.

The allocation procedure is administered centrally by the LA. The LA will only make any decision with respect to the offer or refusal of a place in response to any preference expressed on the CAF where:

• it is acting in its separate capacity as an admission authority, or
• an applicant is eligible for a place at more than one school, or
• an applicant is not eligible for a place at any school that the parent has nominated.

By 5th January 2009 the LA will notify the admission authority for voluntary aided schools of every preference that has been made for that school, including all relevant details and any supplementary form received by this date, which schools require in order to apply their oversubscription criteria.

By 6th February 2009 all voluntary aided schools will have considered all applications for their schools, regardless of the preference order, apply the school’s oversubscription criteria and provide the LA with a list of applicants ranked according to the school’s oversubscription criteria.

The LA will collate all information and allocate places. If only one of the schools named can offer a place, that school will be offered. If more than one school can offer a place, the offer will be for whichever school has been ranked highest on the application form. This may not be the first preference school. Where a school is oversubscribed and the LA is not able to offer any of the parental preferences, the LA will offer a place at the nearest appropriate school to the child’s home with a place available.

On 27th February 2009 draft allocation lists will be sent to schools for validation. In any case where the LA determine that a child is to be granted or refused admission to a primary school in their area for which they are not the admission authority, the LA will notify the school’s governing body of their determination. Amended lists should be returned to the LA by 6th March 2009.

On 20th March 2009 the LA will inform schools of the pupils to be offered places at their schools.

With regard to any application relating to a child living in a different local education authority’s area, the LA will notify that authority of their determination.

Change of Preference

Admission authorities will not allow preferences, ranking order or pupil details, to be changed after the closing date of 28th November 2008 except in exceptional circumstances for example, if the family has recently moved address. Evidence must be provided to support the request. No changes can be considered after 5th January 2009, when the allocations process has started.

Notification of Decision to Parents/Carers

Tameside LA will inform parents/carers of the school place allocated, including the offer of places on behalf of Tameside VA primary schools, by letter, which will be posted first class on 30 March 2009.

Where parents are not offered their highest ranked school, they will be informed of the reasons for this decision in the offer letter, which will also inform them about their statutory right of appeal for any schools, who to contact to make an appeal, and about the operation of waiting lists.

Parents should inform the relevant school of their intention to accept or decline the offer of a place by 1st May 2009. If they do not respond by this date it will be assumed that they have accepted the place.

Late Applications

The closing date for applications in the normal admissions round is 28th November 2008. Applications received after this date will be considered after all applications received on time have been processed.

Applications received by schools after the closing date must be forwarded to the LA immediately. Where only the supplementary form is received the school must inform the LA immediately so it can verify whether a CAF has been received from the parent and, if not, contact the parent and ask them to complete a CAF. The LA will enter the details onto its central database and, after consultation with the relevant admission authority, offer a place at the highest ranked school with a place available or, if this is not possible at the nearest appropriate school with a place available.

Waiting Lists

Parents should check with individual admission authorities in order to determine whether or not they operate waiting lists.

Applications Received After 1st September (Casual Admissions)

Applications received after 1st September, and applications for places in a year group other than the normal year of entry to primary school, will be treated as casual admissions. These applications should be made on the transfer request form and sent to the LA, which will:

• Determine any application for a community or voluntary controlled school for which it is the admission authority and inform the parent; and
• If the application is for a voluntary aided school, refer the application to the governing body of the school, which will make a determination within 15 days and notify both the parent and the LA.
• In either case the admission authority must advise parents who are refused admission of their right of appeal.

If any parents approach voluntary aided schools directly about a casual admission, the governing body must ensure that the parent completes the Transfer Request Form. The Transfer Request Form should be sent to the LA within 5 days.

The LA will keep track of all applications for casual admission, and ensure that children are placed in a school without undue delay.

Timetable of co-ordinated primary school scheme

• 28th November 2008: Closing date for all Common Application Forms (CAFs) and supplementary forms to be returned to the Local Authority.
• 5th January 2009: Local Authority provides VA schools with details of all those who have named the school as a preference*.
• 6th February 2009: VA schools provide the Local Authority with ranked lists of applicants.
• 6th - 27th February 2009: The Local Authority will match the ranked lists of all the schools and allocate places.
• 20th March 2009: On this date the Local Authority will notify schools which pupils have been allocated places at their schools
• 30th March 2009: Notification of offers sent to parents.
• 1st May 2009: Last date for offers to be accepted by parents
• 8th May 2009: Closing date for receipt of appeals.
• 11th May 2009: Any places that have become available are allocated to parents in priority order.

* 5th January would also be the last date by which, exceptionally, changes of preference or details could be considered.