Benchill Primary School

We are a 2-11 primary school that centres on children. Everything we do is designed to provide an active learning environment where children want to learn and want to succeed. We aim to provide a school where your children feel confident, safe, cared for and that stimulates their creativity and self worth.

We have a dedicated staff who are committed to ensuring that all children achieve their individual targets.Your child's talents and achievements are always celebrated by the whole school community and shared with you at every opportunity. The partnership between home and school is very important to us as we seek to develop and raise the aspirations of all in our local community.

As the Admissions Authority for the community and voluntary controlled schools in Manchester, the LA is required to draft, consult on and determine their admission arrangements. Where there are more applicants than places available the LA will apply the admission arrangements in order to decide which applicants will be offered places. Admission arrangements for voluntary aided schools, foundation schools, free schools and academies are set by their Governing Body, who are, the Admission Authority for their establishment. They are responsible for drafting, consulting on and determining their admission arrangements. Copies of admissions arrangements for these types of schools/academies in Manchester can be found on the school/academy website and the LA’s website.

Benchill Primary School is a school that centres on children, families and their community. Everything we do is designed to provide an active learning environment where children want to learn and succeed. We aim to provide a school where your children are safe and cared for and that stimulates their creativity and self-worth. Benchill Primary School will consider all applications. Where fewer applications are received for nursery than there are places, the school will offer places to all those who have applied. Pupils are admitted to the nursery in the term after they turn 3 and to Superstars in the term after they turn 2 if there is a place available.

All parent/carers are required to apply to their home LA regardless of where the school/academy they are applying is situated. Manchester residents will apply to Manchester LA. The LA will liaise with other Admissions Authorities in Manchester and other LAs where required. Manchester LA will inform parent/carers in writing of the outcome of their application.

A child who is new to Manchester will be prioritised for their preferred schools. These applicants have not had the opportunity to apply during the normal admission round when they may have had a reasonable chance of being offered a preferred school. All preferences will be considered equally and if more than one preference can be offered the highest ranked preference will be offered. If no preference can be offered an alternative offer of the closest Manchester school or academy with vacancies will be made. Once a preference or an alternative offer is made, the applicant will no longer be considered in this category.

Waiting lists will be held in criteria order according to the oversubscription criteria. Waiting lists will not be operated on a “first come, first served” basis. The amount of time an applicant is on a waiting list will not affect their position on it. For the Primary Admissions Round a waiting list will be held up to the end of the autumn term. At this point applicants will be required to re-apply for the school should they wish to stay on the waiting list. For In Year applications, waiting lists will be held for the term in which the application was made. At the end of the term all applicants will be removed from all waiting lists. The only exception to this will be if the applicant has not been offered a place. In this circumstance the applicant will be kept on the waiting list for the next term. Details of the waiting list process will be on the application forms and on the offer letters sent to applicants.

Governors are expected to give their opinion on a range of issues relating to school but they do not get in involved in the day to day operational management of the school. Parent and Staff Governors are elected and any vacancies will be advertised in school. In addition anybody who is interested in becoming a Governor can contact the Headteacher. Governors serve for a fixed term unless they choose to resign in that period.
Governors are not expected to have highly specialised knowledge. There is training available to Governors throughout the year on a range of issues. Some of this training is provided in-house other training is provided by the local authority.

Schools are required to teach British values as part of their responsibility for promoting the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of their pupils. In doing this they can also show that they are ‘actively promoting fundamental British Values’.The fundamental British values are democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.