Monday, December 1 2008
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How to Fill in Your Application Form

Introduction

All children born between 1 September 2004 and 31 August 2005 are due to start full time education at an Infant/Primary School from September 2009, whilst children, who are in Year 2 of an Infant School, are due to transfer to Junior School.  All parents must make arrangements for their child’s Primary education.

All schools in Wakefield have agreed to participate in a co-ordinated Primary School Admissions Scheme. Wakefield’s Family Services will be responsible for the scheme and will offer places for all Wakefield schools.

Enclosed within your admission pack is a paper application form for you to complete, however, many parents and carers may find it easier and quicker to apply electronically using our online facility which can be found under Related Links.

When is the deadline for applications?

Applications, whether online or on paper, must be completed and returned by 14 November 2008.  Applying after this date may seriously affect your chances of being offered your preferred school.  Paper applications are welcome and completed forms should be returned to:

School Admissions Team
Family Services
County Hall
Wakefield
WF1 2QL

If you have any questions about the admissions process, or applying online, please contact the School Admissions Team at the above address or by telephone on 01924 305616/17 or 306766 or email the team using the contact form which can be found under Related Links.

Confused? Here are some questions and answers to help you through the process.

Q How does the Wakefield co-ordinated primary transfer process work?
A We want to make the admissions process easier for parents and carers by enabling them to put up to three school preferences on one application, by reducing multiple offers of places for some children while others have no offer at all and by having one day, 3 April 2009, on which all offers of a school place will be posted.

The main features of the scheme are:

  • Every parent, who wishes to apply for a Wakefield school, fills in the Wakefield Common Application Form, even if they are resident outside of the Wakefield district e.g. they live in Leeds.
  • If you wish to apply to primary schools outside of Wakefield you MUST complete that authority’s application form e.g. if you wish to apply to a primary school in Barnsley, you apply to Barnsley Education Department.
  • You can name up to three schools and rank them in order of preference. School one being the school you would most like to your child to attend.
  • We will treat all of your preferences equally when allocating places.
  • If any of your named schools receives more applications than there are places available, then your application will be considered against the appropriate published admissions criteria.
  • We will offer you a place at the highest ranked school possible.
  • All children get an offer of a place on the same day.
Q What is equal preferencing?
A Equal preferencing is the same as having three first preferences. Your application will be considered equally, regardless of whether you ranked a school 1st, 2nd or 3rd. This process benefits parents and gives a wider range of options.
Q Do I preference schools situated in other Local Authorities on my application form?
A No, the only schools you can preference on your Wakefield application form are Community or Foundation Schools, Voluntary Controlled Schools and Voluntary Aided Schools situated in Wakefield.

If you wish to apply for schools in neighbouring authorities, you must contact them directly for an application form (contact numbers can be found in the section "Wakefield Primary Schools").
Q I don’t live in Wakefield - can I still apply?
A Yes, you can apply for a place in a Wakefield school by completing the Wakefield Common Application Form. Your application will be considered on the same basis as applications from Wakefield residents.

You are advised to also apply for a place within your own LA’s area, as we cannot guarantee to be able to offer you a place.
Q Why apply online?
A
  • It is quick and easy
  • You will get an email confirmation that your application has been received
  • The system helps you by checking for errors
  • There is no risk that your application will be lost in the post
  • By making a note of your username and password, you can change the details on your application up until the closing date
  • The system has a series of security procedures which will prevent anyone else seeing your information
  • Available 24 hours a day 7 days a week up until the closing date of 14 November 2008
  • If you apply online you can access your primary school offer online at midnight on 3 April 2009 instead of having to wait for the post.
Q If I apply online do I need to also complete the paper form?
A No. If you apply online, you do not have to complete the paper application form as well. However, if you have preferenced a Voluntary Aided School, you must contact them for a copy of their additional information sheet. The additional information sheet must be completed and returned to the school direct.
Q [a] Child's Details
A Please give the address at which your child is normally resident. This is the child’s permanent address where he or she lives with a person with parental responsibility or with a parent (as defined in Section 576 of the Education Act 1996). If your child’s address changes, or is due to change before the start of the Autumn Term 2009, you must notify the School Admissions Team immediately. Where there is split custody, the address used for allocating school places would be where the child is resident for the majority of the school week. (For example: If a child is resident with their mother Monday-Thursday and father Friday-Sunday, the mother’s address would be used as the child’s normal place of residency). Where the care is spilt equally with both mother and father, the Local Authority will endeavour to allocate a school place, which is accessible from both addresses, however, both parents must be in agreement as to which school they wish to preference.
Q [b] Parent's or Carer's Details
A Please give your title, initial and surname. You need only give your address if it is different to your child’s.

Supplying false information may result in a school place being withdrawn.
Q [c] Special Educational Needs and Children in Care
A
  1. Only tick this box if your child has a Statement of Special Educational Needs. This will have been sent to you after a full assessment under the Education Act 1996 and everything will have been explained to you. It will not have happened without your knowledge.

  2. Only tick this box if your child is subject to a care order or interim care order or who is accommodated by a Local Authority in a full time placement.
Q [d] Preferences (Part 1)
A You are free to express up to three preferences for any of the Community, Foundation, Voluntary Controlled or Voluntary Aided Primary/Infant or Junior Schools listed in the section "Wakefield Primary Schools". Only one application per child should be completed, if a second application is submitted for the same child but at a later date, the latter will be taken as indicating your preferred school(s). You may give reasons for your preference in the box provided.

If your address falls into a catchment area, this will be indicated on your letter. Please note that, if you are not offered any of your preferred schools, a place will be allocated at the next nearest school to your address with places available.

School Admissions ask all parents to accept all offers made by 30 April 2009.

Attendance at a Nursery Unit or a Pre-5 Class at a school does not guarantee a place in the Reception class of the same school, or the link Junior School (Voluntary Aided Schools excluded).
Q [d] Preferences (Part 2)
A The information which you give in this section will determine what priority your application is given when places are offered.

All the priorities apply to the date on which your child is due to begin attending the school.

  • Please give the name and date of birth of any older brother or sister who will attend your preferred school(s) or the linked Junior School at the time of the proposed admission. Do not put down brothers or sisters who will have left before September 2009.

The LA reserves the right to request documentary evidence before accepting that information given in an application is genuine. The LA may consult with schools, other council departments, other admissions authorities and the health authority or may ask parents to provide evidence.

Examples of evidence that might be requested include:

  • full birth certificates;
  • court orders;
  • home office documents;
  • residence orders;
  • parental responsibility orders;
  • proof of address.
Q [e] Declaration
A This declaration is necessary. From time to time, parents do try to gain an unfair advantage in the admissions priority by deliberately supplying false information. The authority will consider taking whatever action is necessary to protect the interests of all children seeking admission to our schools. Parents who get a place for their child, as a result of false information, are taking a place away from another child who is more deserving of it.

PLEASE EITHER APPLY ONLINE, OR RETURN YOUR COMPLETED PAPER APPLICATION FORM TO THE SCHOOL ADMISSIONS TEAM AT THE ADDRESS ON THE APPLICATION FORM, NO LATER THAN 14 NOVEMBER 2008.