St Joseph's Primary School

Nursery

St. Joseph’s is a government approved childcare provider and you are able to use 15 hour and 30 hour codes. For further information on how to apply for these codes, please visit the government website

We admit 30 FTE pupils into the Nursery Class.

• a) The Governing Body is responsible for admissions into Nursery;
• b) Parents of children who are admitted for Nursery provision must apply for a place at the school if they want their child to transfer to the Reception class;
• c) Attendance at the Nursery does not guarantee admission to the school.

Book a tour by phoning 020 7237 4267. We look forward to welcoming you.

Should you wish to apply for a place at St. Joseph’s, please complete the supplementary form and return it directly to the school with the relevant supporting documentation. These forms can be downloaded below or are available at the school office.

St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School was founded by the Sisters of Mercy to provide education for children of Catholic families; it is in the trusteeship of the Diocese of Southwark. The school is conducted by its governing body as part of the Catholic Church in accordance with its Trust Deed and Instrument of Government.

As a Catholic school, we aim to provide a Catholic education for all our pupils. At a Catholic school, Catholic doctrine and practice permeates every aspect of the school’s activity. It is essential that the Catholic character of the school’s education is fully supported by all families in the school.

We ask all parents applying for a place here to respect this ethos and its importance to the school community. This does not affect the rights of parents who are not of the faith of this school to apply for and be considered for a place here.

The governing body has responsibility for admissions to this school and, having consulted with the local authority and other admission authorities, intends to admit 45 pupils to the Reception class and 30 FTE to the Nursery class

(NB. Admissions to the nursery are based on the same criteria as admissions to the main school). Please note that the closing date for Reception applications is 15th January and the closing date for Nursery applications is 25th February . Any supplementary forms received after this date will be treated as late applications.

Admission Number

The number of pupils to be admitted into each year group is 45.

Application Procedure

The process to be followed is that as set down under Southwark’s “Co-ordinated admission schemes” and according to the timetable set down by Southwark as the Local Authority. Southwark residents must apply for their child’s primary place online at www.southwark.gov.uk/schooladmissions

Applications should be made to the Local Authority by the national closing date 15 January for admission to the following September . Applications can only be made online. This may be completed before this date but the Admissions Panel does not take account of the order in which they were received.

In addition, the school also asks that a Supplementary Form is completed by each applicant and this is available from the school. Completed supplementary forms should be returned to the school NOT the Local Authority by the same closing date, 15 January . Completion of a Supplementary Form is not mandatory; however, if one is not received then the Governors will not be able to apply their admission criteria and the application will be considered under the “other children” category.

The Governors will ask the parish priest, where applicable, for details of parental church attendance.Applicants will be notified by the local authority of the outcome of their application on the national common offer date of 16 April .

Late Applications

All late applications will not be considered for a place until after the initial offer of places on “offer day”.

If any applications are made after “the offer date” but before the 31st August then they will need to be made through the LA.

In Year Applications

Applications for places outside the normal round of admissions (in year admissions) can be made directly to the school and will be allocated in accordance within the school’s admissions criteria and processed as per Southwark’s agreed protocol.

In accordance with Southwark Council’s in year protocol any child who wishes to transfer from one Southwark school to another Southwark school must complete Southwark’s in year application form. The applicant must then return the completed in year application form directly to the school they are applying to.

If a child is currently not attending a Southwark school and the family would like to apply for an in-year place at a Southwark school, they must complete Southwark LA’s in year application form and return it to Southwark Council’s school admissions team.

Admission of children below compulsory school age

The governors will provide for the admission of all children in the September following their fourth birthday. Parents can request by application to the Headteacher that the date their child is admitted to the school is deferred until later in the school year or until the child reaches compulsory school age in that school year; parents may also request that their child attends part-time until the child reaches compulsory school age.

Admission of children outside their normal age group

Parents who are seeking a place for their child outside of their normal age group, for example, the child has experienced problems such as ill health or the parents of a summer born child preferring not to send their child to school until the September following their fifth birthday, may request that they are admitted out of their normal age group – to reception rather than year 1.

Southwark Council’s school admissions team co-ordinates the process for the admission of children outside of their normal age group on behalf of all schools in the borough. This also means that the process is simplified for families in that they are not completing multiple forms for each school they are making such a request to.

Families residing in the borough must complete and return Southwark Council’s ‘Request for admission outside of the normal age group’ form alongside any supporting documentation to Southwark’s school admissions team. The request form is available on the website at www.southwark.gov.uk/schooladmissions.

Once the request is logged by Southwark, they will forward the request form to this school in order to make a decision.

Governors will make decisions on the circumstances of each case and in the best interests of the child concerned. This will include taking account of the parent’s views; information about the child’s academic, social and emotional development; where relevant, their medical history and the views of a medical professional; whether they have previously been educated out of their normal age group, and whether they may naturally have fallen into a lower age group if it were not for being born

prematurely. They will also take into account the views of the school’s head teacher. When informing a parent of the decision which year group the child should be admitted to, the governors will set out clearly the reasons for their decision.

Where the governors agree to a parental request for their child to be admitted out of their normal age group and, as a consequence of that decision, the child will be admitted to the age group to which pupils are normally admitted to the school the local authority will process the application as part of the main admissions round, (unless the parental request is made too late for this to be possible) and on the basis of the determined admission arrangements, including the application of oversubscription criteria where applicable. Parents have a statutory right to appeal against the refusal of a place at a school for which they have applied. This right does not apply if they are offered a place at the school but it is not in their preferred age group.

Fair Access Protocol

The school participates in the local authority’s Fair Access Protocol to allocate places to vulnerable and other children in accordance with the School Admission Code. Admitting pupils under the protocol may require the school to admit above the planned admission number for the relevant year group.

Pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Needs or Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan

The admissions of pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Needs or with an EHC Plan are dealt with by a completely separate procedure. The procedure is integral to the making and the maintaining of statements and EHC plans by the pupil’s home local authority. Details of this separate procedure are set out in the SEND code of practice. Pupils with a statement or EHC plan naming the school will be admitted without reference to the criteria below.

Oversubscription Criteria Priorities

Where there are more applications for places than the number of places available, the Governors will offer places using the following criteria in the order stated:

• The following children will take precedence over all other applicants - Baptised Catholic children who are designated as ‘looked after children’ (LAC) by the Local Authority and non-Catholic children who are in the care of Catholic families: or any of these who have become adopted or become subject of a residence or guardianship order immediately after being looked after and Catholic children who appear (to the admissions authority) to have been in state care outside of England and cease to be in state care outside of England as a result of being adopted.
• Baptised Catholic children whose family attends Sunday Mass weekly. A baptismal certificate or evidence of reception into the Roman Catholic Church is required AND evidence of the frequency of attending Mass must be provided by the parent(s)/carer(s) and be endorsed by a priest at the church(es) where the family normally worship, both of which must accompany the supplementary information form.
  • Priority will first be given to children where one or both parents/guardians live within the boundary of The Most Holy Trinity Parish, Dockhead, and for which St Joseph’s (George Row) is the nearest Catholic school.
  • Then, where one or both parents/guardians live outside the boundaries of The Most Holy Trinity Parish, Dockhead but within the Cathedral Deanery boundaries (parishes – St George’s Cathedral, St Gertrude’s’ South Bermondsey, Precious Blood Borough, Our Lady of La Salette Melior Street, St Peter and the Guardian Angels Rotherhithe, Immaculate Conception, Surrey Docks, English Martyrs Walworth, St Wilfrid’s Kennington Park, St Patrick’s Waterloo, St Anne’s Vauxhall) and for which St Joseph’s (George Row) is the nearest Catholic school.
  • Then, where one or both parents/guardians live outside the boundaries of the Cathedral Deanery and for which St Joseph’s (George Row) is the nearest Catholic school.
• Baptised Catholic children whose family attend Sunday Mass at least two or three times per month. A baptismal certificate or evidence of reception into the Roman Catholic Church is required AND evidence of the frequency of attending Mass must be provided by the parent(s)/carer(s) and be endorsed by a priest at the church(es) where the family normally worship, both of which must accompany the supplementary information form.
  • Priority will first be given to children where one or both parents/guardians live within the boundary of The Most Holy Trinity Parish, Dockhead, and for which St Joseph’s (George Row) is the nearest Catholic school.
  • Then, where one or both parents/guardians live outside the boundaries of The Most Holy Trinity Parish, Dockhead but within the Cathedral Deanery boundaries and for which St Joseph’s (George Row) is the nearest Catholic school.
  • Then, where one or both parents/guardians live outside the boundaries of the Cathedral Deanery and for which St Joseph’s (George Row) is the nearest Catholic school.
• Baptised Catholic children whose family attend Sunday Mass occasionally. A baptismal certificate or evidence of reception into the Roman Catholic Church is required AND evidence of the frequency of attending Mass must be provided by the parent(s)/carer(s) and be endorsed by a priest at the church(es) where the family normally worship, both of which must accompany the supplementary information form.
  • Priority will first be given to children where one or both parents/guardians live within the boundary of The Most Holy Trinity Parish, Dockhead, and for which St Joseph’s (George Row) is the nearest Catholic school.
  • Then, where one or both parents/guardians live outside the boundaries of The Most Holy Trinity Parish, Dockhead but within the Cathedral Deanery boundaries and for which St Joseph’s (George Row) is the nearest Catholic school.
  • Then, where one or both parents/guardians live outside the boundaries of the Cathedral Deanery and for which St Joseph’s (George Row) is the nearest Catholic school.
• All other baptised Catholic children. A baptismal certificate or evidence of reception into the Roman Catholic Church must accompany the supplementary information form.
• Other children who are designated as LAC by the Local Authority and any of these who have become adopted or become subject of a residence or guardianship order immediately after being looked after and other children who appear (to the admissions authority) to have been in state care outside of England and cease to be in state care outside of England as a result of being adopted.
• Children enrolled in the catechumenate. Evidence of enrolment in the catechumenate will be required.
• Children who are members of Eastern Orthodox Churches. Evidence of Baptism will be required.
• Children of families who are members of other Christian denominations that are part of Churches Together in England. Evidence of Baptism (or dedication) provided by a priest or minister of a designated place of worship will be required.
• Children who are members of other faiths. Evidence of membership of the faith provided by a priest, minister or religious leader of the designated place of worship will be required.
• Any other children.

Tie Breaks

The following order of priorities will be applied when applications within any of the above categories exceed the places available and it is necessary to decide between applicants.

• A brother or sister on the school roll at the time of admission. Evidence of the relationship may be required.
• Social, pastoral and medical needs which make the school particularly suitable for the child in question. Strong and relevant evidence in the form of a letter must be provided by an appropriate professional authority (e.g., qualified medical practitioner, education welfare officer, social worker or priest)
• Proximity to the school from the Candidates home address, the distance measured in a straight line from the School entrance. Evidence of residence may be required. The home address is where the parent or carer lives and the child permanently resides for the majority of school nights (Sunday to Thursday) are spent unless otherwise directed by a “Court Order”

Where the last remaining place is to be allocated and two or more children are deemed to live at the same distance from the school the place will be decided by the drawing of lots.