| Q |
When can my child start school? |
| A |
From September 2009 Wakefield has changed the admission dates to full-time schooling. We have now moved from 3 to 2 points of entry. Children will be admitted full-time at either September 2009 or January 2010. Children will no longer be admitted full-time after Easter. Therefore:
• Children whose birthdays are between 1 September and 31 March will start
school at the beginning of September.
• Children whose birthdays are between 1 April and 31 August will start full-time
school at January.
The following chart gives information on when your child is due to start:
Children Born 1 September 2004 - 31 March 2005
Start September 2009
Children Born 1 April 2005 - 31 August 2005
Start January 2010
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| Q |
Does every parent/carer who wants a school place for their child have to apply? |
| A |
Yes. Even if you already have an older child at the school you must make an application for the younger child who is due to start school in the academic year starting September 2009. It is the parent/carer’s responsibility to apply and you should not assume we know you have a child who needs a school place even when you child’s details have been given to a school.
If you do not make an application, you will not be offered a place at a school for your child.
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| Q |
What type of schools are there? |
| A |
Within Wakefield Local Authority (LA) there are currently two types of schools: Community and Voluntary.
Community Schools - These are schools that are established, maintained and controlled by the LA. The majority of schools in Wakefield are Community Schools. The LA is responsible for all admissions to Community Schools.
Voluntary Schools - Some schools were established and are owned by a voluntary body. Usually it is a church body, either the Church of England or Roman Catholic Church, but this does not have to be the case. The Governing Body of these schools has a majority of its Governors appointed by the church authority or foundation that provides the school. The purpose of these Foundation Governors is to look after the interests of the founding authority. They would, for example, seek to preserve any religious associations which the school has.
There are two types of Voluntary Schools:
Voluntary Aided Schools are responsible for all their own admissions arrangements. Admission decisions are taken by the Governing Body.
Voluntary Controlled Schools, like Community Schools, have their admissions handled by the LA.
It is envisaged that a number of schools within Wakefield may have become Trust Schools as part of the Government’s recent changes in legislation. Trust Schools are supported by charitable foundation and the schools within the Trust become Foundation schools. These schools have a degree of independence from the LA. They own their own buildings and site, employ their own staff and act as their own Admissions Authority.
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| Q |
When should I apply for a school place? |
| A |
The first year of school is called Reception Year. You will need to apply for your child’s first school place in the October prior to your child starting school. Children starting school in January 2010 must still apply in October 2008 at the same as those who start in September 2009. This means you could be applying for your child’s first school place almost fifteen months before they start. For children starting school during the 2009/2010 academic year, application packs are available from October 2008. All applications, whether on-line or on paper, must be completed and returned to the School Admissions Team by the 14 November 2008. All applications received by this date will be treated equally. However, returning your application after this date may affect your offer of a school place. Your application will be acknowledged within four weeks upon receipt. It is your responsibility to contact us if you do not receive an acknowledgement letter. Offer letters will be sent out 2nd Class on Friday 3 April 2009. If you applied on-line our website will be available from midnight of the 2 April to enable you to find the school offered. This facility is only available to those parents who originally applied on-line.
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| Q |
Is a first come, first served system used to allocate places? (Part 1) |
| A |
No. All applications received by the closing date of 14 November 2008 will be considered at the same
time. Finding out about Primary Schools The Guide for Parents will give you a summary of information for all schools in Wakefield including names, addresses and telephone numbers. The maximum number of children each school can admit into Reception Year and Year 3 and details of how many children were admitted last year. This is to give you a guide as to how successful your preference may be. The Headteacher of each school has also provided information about what their school can offer. Each school has its own prospectus that it will give to parents on request. The prospectus will give information about the school’s: - Aims and values;
- Organisation of teaching and subjects;
- Facilities;
- National Curriculum assessment results;
- Attendance figures;
- Admissions Policy.
You can contact the school direct and request a copy of its prospectus.
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| Q |
Is a first come, first served system used to allocate places? (Part 2) |
| A |
Primary Schools may organise open days/evenings where parents and children can talk to teachers and pupils and look around the school. Open days/evenings are a valuable source of information when considering which schools to put on your application form. Details of open days and information evenings can also be obtained from the school.
The DCFS web site (www.dcsf.gov.uk) contains general information about education and has a section devoted to children and families. It also contains information about examination results for each school. Ofsted reports and school inspection reports can also be found on the internet at www.Ofsted.gov.uk
Wakefield also has its own website (www.wakefield.gov.uk) which contains general information about schools in Wakefield and a range of information about the District as a whole. It also has links to school websites where appropriate.
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| Q |
Which school can I apply for? |
| A |
You can apply for any school covering the age group for your child. All Community Schools have catchment areas, but you do not have to limit your preference to the school serving your area. Although children are offered a place in their catchment school wherever possible, living in the catchment area of a school does not guarantee that a place will be offered at that school. A full list of all Wakefield Infant and Primary Schools can be found in the section "Wakefield Primary Schools".
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| Q |
How many preferences can I make? |
| A |
You can apply for up to three Wakefield Community, Foundation, Voluntary Controlled or Voluntary Aided Schools on the Wakefield application form.
Please think carefully when ranking your school preferences. All preferences will be treated equally, however, you will only be offered one school place for your child. If we are able to allocate your child a place at more than one of your preferred schools, you cannot choose which of the schools you will be offered. We will offer you a place at the highest ranked school possible. For Wakefield residents, if no preference expressed can be met, a place will be allocated at the next nearest Community school to the home address with places available.
For applications to non Voluntary Aided Schools, Wakefield prioritises applications based on geographic catchment areas and where schools are over-subscribed prioritises applications based on these areas. You do not have to include your Wakefield catchment area school as one of your school preferences, however, including only non-catchment area schools in your preferences may reduce your chance of receiving a school offer.
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| Q |
Do I have the right to choose which school I want my child to attend? |
| A |
No, parents do not have the right to decide which school their child will attend.
Parents have a legal right to express a preference for the school they would like their child to attend. All schools must admit children up to their admission limit, which is published in the guide and in each school’s own prospectus. Wherever possible, places are offered in the school which the parents prefer. However, if there are more applicants for a school than places available, there has to be a way of deciding which children will be admitted.
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| Q |
Does the Primary School my child attends determine which Secondary School he/she will be able to go to? |
| A |
No, this Local Authority does not operate a feeder school system for Secondary Schools.
All parents must re-apply when their child is due to transfer to Secondary School. You will automatically
receive information when your child starts Year 6 (the last year of Junior or Primary School).
Children living outside Wakefield, who obtain places in a Wakefield school, are not guaranteed a
place in a Wakefield Secondary School and must contact their home LA when their child starts Year 6.
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| Q |
How do I apply for a Voluntary Aided School? |
| A |
You should apply for a Voluntary Aided School on the same application as for a Community or Voluntary Controlled School and at the same time.
However, it is also important that you contact the Headteacher of the Voluntary Aided School to discuss your child’s possible admission. The Headteacher will be able to give advice on how places are allocated. You must also complete an additional sheet for the Voluntary Aided School(s) you have preferenced, which you can obtain from the school directly. This will enable the school’s Governing Body to assess your application fully. The additional sheet is only available in paper form and must be returned directly to the school.
The LA and Voluntary Aided Schools liaise regularly throughout the process to ensure the co-ordination of information. The Governing Body is responsible for the allocation of school places at all Voluntary Aided Schools, however, Wakefield LA will write and offer places on behalf of the Voluntary Aided School.
Valid applications for school places can only be made on the Wakefield Common Application Form (either on the paper form or on-line). Any supplementary application form completed for a Voluntary Aided school does not constitute an application for that school but is just a mechanism for providing additional information, which the Governing Body requires to fully assess your application.
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| Q |
Is there a guarantee that my first preferred school would be met? |
| A |
No. Most parents’ first preferred school can be allocated, but this cannot be guaranteed. You are much more likely to have your first preference met if you ask for the school that serves the catchment area where you live. Any school might receive more applications than places available. If this happens for Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools, places will be allocated against the LA’s over-subscription criteria. If a Voluntary Aided or Foundation School receives more applications than it has places available, the Governing Body for the school will allocate places according to that school’s published over-subscription criteria.
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| Q |
Can I appeal if any of my preferences cannot be met? (Part 1) |
| A |
Yes. If your preference for a school place cannot be met you have a right of appeal. Your appeal should be submitted within 21 days from the date of the refusal letter. You will be asked to complete a form, clearly stating the reasons for your appeal. Appeals are normally only successful where either the LA have not acted fairly in refusing your child a place at your preferenced school or a parent/carer can demonstrate exceptional circumstances that justify admitting the child, even if the school is full.
However, please note that, following the government’s class size of 30 legislation, when dealing with children aged 5, 6 or 7, the appeal panel are restricted in what they are allowed to consider and cannot take into account social factors e.g. childcare. Class size 30 appeals can only be successful where a parent can demonstrate that the application has been treated unfairly, or where an error has been made by the LA, when processing the application, that may have resulted in a place being offered.
Appeals for Community, Foundation, Voluntary Controlled or Catholic Voluntary Aided Schools should be submitted to the Clerk to the Independent Appeals Panel, Wakefield MDC, Corporate Services, Town Hall, Wakefield, WF1 2QW.
If you are refused a place at a Voluntary Aided Church of England School, you must appeal to the Wakefield Diocesan Board of Education, Church House, 1 South Parade, Wakefield, WF1 1LP.
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| Q |
Can I appeal if any of my preferences cannot be met? (Part 2) |
| A |
Your appeal will be heard by an Independent Appeals Panel. You will be informed of the date and time of the hearing and you will have the opportunity to attend the hearing to support your appeal. After the appeal has been heard, a letter will be sent informing you of the outcome. Any decision made by an appeals panel is binding and both schools and parents must keep to the decision.
The appeals process for children with Statements of Special Educational Needs, is different from that outlined above and is made to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal. Information regarding this is outlined in the section "Special Educational Needs".
You cannot appeal again for the same year group in the same school, unless there has been an important and relevant change in circumstances since the original appeal and you can provide proof of such a change (see question “What evidence do I need to provide?”).
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| Q |
How many places does each school have in each year group? |
| A |
Each school has a published Annual Admission Number for Reception Year. Unless there are changes to the accommodation at the school, this is the maximum number of places that the school can offer for this year group as it moves through the school. A full list of Annual Admission Numbers can be found in the section "Wakefield Primary Schools". These were correct at time of print.
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| Q |
Will my child be educated in a class of 30 or fewer? |
| A |
The Government has introduced a new regulation that normally requires all children in infant classes
to be taught in groups of no more than 30. This became law in September 2001.
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| Q |
What are the over-subscription criteria for the Reception year and subsequent years for Community, Foundation and Voluntary Controlled Schools? |
| A |
If schools receive more applications than places available, places will be allocated in the following
priority order. - Children in Public Care (Looked After Children);
- Children who live in the school’s catchment area, who have brothers or sisters attending the school at the time of admission;
- Other Children who live in the school’s catchment area;
- Children who live in that part of the primary school’s catchment area which is
designated as an option area;
- Children who have brothers or sisters in attendance at the school;
- Other children, with priority being given to those living nearest to the school.
Please note: When a child has obtained a school place using a fraudulent address, priority will not be given to younger siblings.
Any place offered on the basis of an address which is later found to be fraudulent will be withdrawn.
The brother and sister category includes children with brothers and sisters (including step-brothers
and sisters residing at the same address) of statutory school age in attendance at the same school,
or a school on the same site, on the date of admission.
If offering places within any one of the priorities would cause the school’s admission number to exceed,
then children living nearest to the school measured in a straight line from home to school, will be
offered places first.
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| Q |
Can I receive more than one offer? |
| A |
No, the LA’s co-ordinated scheme ensures that parents resident in the Wakefield District receive one
and only one offer of a Wakefield school place.
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| Q |
What if my child has a statement of Special Educational Needs? |
| A |
If your child has a Statement of Special Educational Needs you should complete your application as
normal, either on paper or online, and chose up to three preferences. Please indicate on your
application that your child has a Statement of Special Educational Needs. However, Children with a
Statement of Special Needs are dealt with under a different mechanism. Once School Admissions
receives your application it will be passed to the LA’s Special Educational Needs Group who will
contact you to discuss your application. For further information please see the section on Special
Educational Needs.
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| Q |
What if I have twins or triplets and only one obtains a place? |
| A |
Where a family of twins or triplets request admission and there is only one school place available, it
will be left to the family to decide whether or not they wish to take up the place for one of their children
and appeal for the second or third child in the same year group, or decline the place.
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| Q |
What is a catchment area? |
| A |
The LA thinks it is important that schools should serve their local communities and so each Community, Foundation and Voluntary Controlled School has its own catchment area. A catchment area is a defined geographical area of the Wakefield District that serves a particular school. Although children are offered a place in their catchment school wherever possible, living in the catchment area of a school does not guarantee that a place will be offered.
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| Q |
What is an option area? |
| A |
An option area is an area which forms part of the catchment area of two schools. Parents will be
informed if they live in such an area.
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| Q |
Which addresses are in which catchment area? |
| A |
A complete list of addresses within the District and the areas they fall into, is held by the School
Admissions Team. Parents or carers can telephone this section on 01924 305616/17/306766 if they
would like to know the catchment area school for their place of residence. Catchment area information
is also available on internet at www.wakefield.gov.uk/admissiontoschool
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| Q |
If my application is refused will I be placed on the waiting list? |
| A |
Yes, where a school receives more applications than places available, children that cannot be offered
places will be placed on the waiting list using the published over-subscription criteria.
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| Q |
How are waiting lists compiled? |
| A |
Waiting lists will be compiled on the 3 April 2009. They are compiled in strict priority order against the published over-subscription criteria. Offers will be made from the waiting list as vacancies arise. Any place, not taken up at the start of the term in which the child is due to start, will be filled with children from the waiting list. Your waiting list position can move up or down.
The waiting list for a Wakefield school will be based on the following principles:
Where a parent receives a place at their highest ranked school, they will not be placed on the waiting list of their second and third preference;
Where a parent has been allocated a place at their second preference school, they will be placed on the waiting list of their first preference, but not their third;
Where a parent has been allocated a place at their third preference school, they will be placed on the waiting list of their first and second preference;
Where a parent has been offered a place at a school they did not nominate, they will be placed on the waiting list for all the schools they indicated on the application form.
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| Q |
When does the waiting list close? |
| A |
For children entering reception the waiting list will be maintained up to the end of that academic year, at which point all waiting lists will cease. School Admissions will maintain waiting lists for children starting a junior school until the end of the September.
A new waiting list will be put together after these dates. Any parent of a child starting a junior school wishing to go on the new waiting list, must write to the School Admissions Team by the end of October.
Children who are in year 2 or 3 will remain on the waiting list until the end of the school year in which they apply. Any parent, wishing to remain on the waiting list after this date, must write to the LA at the beginning of each new school year. If a request is not submitted within two weeks of the new school year, your child will be removed from the waiting list.
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| Q |
How will you inform me if a place becomes available? |
| A |
The School Admissions Team will write to you if a place becomes available. You will then have fourteen
days to accept or decline your place. If you do not accept the place within the specified time limit, your
place will be withdrawn and allocated to the next child on the waiting list.
Please Note: The School Admissions Team will not be held responsible if parents fail, for any reason,
to accept the school place offered, within the given time limit.
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| Q |
What if I make a late application for a school place? |
| A |
Applications received up to the 14 November 2008 will be classed as on time. Any application received after this date will be late and allocated places after all other applicants that applied on time. Any change in preferences received after 14 November 2008 which does not involve a change of address will be deemed late and dealt with after all on-time applications.
Changes of a child’s address on an application will be accepted up to the 3 March 2009. If the original application was received on time, i.e. before 14 November 2008, then any change of address, up to 3 March 2009, will not result in the application being categorised as late. However, should a change of address result in a change of preference by a parent, then this will be deemed a new application and will be dealt with accordingly. Due to a need to exchange data with Voluntary Aided Schools, any change of address received after the 3 March 2009 will be deemed as a late application. If you make a late application and it is refused you will still have the right of appeal.
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| Q |
What if I move house? |
| A |
It is essential that, if you are moving house during the period when applications are being made, you seek advice from the School Admissions Team, as a change of address may affect your offer of a school place. You will be required to provide written proof of your child’s home address or the reasons for a change in a child’s permanent home address. Any place offered on the basis of an address, which is later found to be fraudulent, will be withdrawn.
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| Q |
What evidence do I need to provide? (Part 1) |
| A |
If your move involves the purchase of a property, then you will need to provide appropriate written evidence in the form of a letter from your Solicitors, detailing your exchange of contracts and the actual completion date. A letter of intention to purchase is not sufficient.
If your move involves the renting of a property, you will need to provide appropriate independent written evidence (e.g. from an Estate Agent or Solicitor) of the tenancy agreement or lease including the start and end date. You will also need to provide appropriate written evidence (in the form of a letter from your Solicitor or Estate Agent) confirming the sale of your existing property.
If your move involves you returning to live in a property that you already own, you will need to provide appropriate written evidence of the date that you will resume living in the property and that you intend to remain living there for the foreseeable future. If you have rented this property out, please provide evidence that you have given your tenants notice to leave.
If your move involves you residing with a member of your family, we will need to see proof of your child benefit, showing that the child is resident at the relevant address.
If your child has moved to live with you at an address that you already occupied, again, we will need to see proof of child benefit, showing that your child is now resident with you.
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| Q |
What evidence do I need to provide? (Part 2) |
| A |
Please note that unless the written evidence you provide proves, to the satisfaction of the School Admissions Team, that you have moved to the address that you indicate, we will not be able to consider your application from your new address.
In certain circumstances, we may ask an Education Welfare Officer to visit you to verify that your child is resident at the address you state on your application form.
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| Q |
What out of school provision is available? |
| A |
Out of School Clubs provide care for school age children before and/or after school. The majority
take place on school premises.
Some of the clubs also provide Holiday Play Schemes in order to provide consistency of care to
children during school holidays. For details of which schools can provide these facilities, please see
the list in the section "Wakefield Primary Schools".
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| Q |
Would you like impartial help and advice about your choices of schools? Speak to the Choice Adviser! (part 1) |
| A |
Deciding which school you would prefer your child to attend can seem like a very important decision, but the system can be confusing for parents. The Choice Adviser can offer parents information and advice to ensure they have a full understanding of the admissions process including:
• Advice on all aspects of the primary school admissions process;
• Help with completing the school application form;
• Impartial information about primary schools within the District (this includes school size,
facilities, before/after school clubs, performance and Ofsted reports etc);
• Details of the admissions policies for different schools;
• Information on travel and transport to school;
• Support through the appeals procedure, if you don’t get your preferred choice.
Please note that getting help from the Choice Adviser does not guarantee your child a place at your preferred school. The service is purely advisory and separate from the LA, helping you to assess the options so that you, as a parent, can make the best and most realistic decision for your child.
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| Q |
Would you like impartial help and advice about your choices of schools? Speak to the Choice Adviser! (part 2) |
| A |
If you need any help, even if it’s just a quick phone call to compare schools, or a home visit to help you complete an application form, the Choice Advice Service is here to help. Hopefully we can help make your school transition as easy and stress-free as possible. Contact details are as below:-
Choice Advice Service
Family Services
County Hall
Wakefield
WF1 2QW
Tel: 01924 302845
Email: choiceadvice@wakefield.gov.uk
Web: www.wakefield.gov.uk/Education/Schools/ChoiceAdviceService
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| Q |
What is the timetable for admission to a Reception Class? |
| A |
October 2008
Distribution of application forms and letters to parents.
14 November 2008
Closing date.
16 December 2008 - 8 February 2009
Wakefield LA sends all applications to respective Wakefield Voluntary Aided and Foundation Schools.
8 February 2009 - 14 March 2009
Wakefield LA will consider all applications against the published admissions policy and determine the single offer of a school place.
3 April 2009
LA send parents offer and refusal letters for Community and
Voluntary Controlled Schools.
The LA will also write to offer places on behalf of the Governing Body of all Voluntary Aided and Foundation Schools.
30 April 2009
Closing date for parents to either accept or refuse offer.
End of May 2009 onwards
Appeals.
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