St Matthias Church of England Primary School

Admissions Policy Main School

Our admissions policy reflects the governors’ intent in creating an inclusive school that serves all families in the local area and that has a distinctive Christian ethos. We believe our school should:

• Serve the community in which it is based;
• Welcome children and their families regardless of any disability or special educational need they may have;
• Provide an education that enables all children to achieve the highest possible standards.
• Strengthen the faith of Christian children.

In order to achieve this, our admissions policy includes Foundation Places for those who regularly attend a Christian church, Other Faith Places for those who are regular worshippers of other faiths and Open Places for anyone who wishes to come to this school because of its Christian ethos. In order to provide an education that lets children achieve the highest possible standards we have a standard class size of 30. This is because we strongly believe that to go above this number would be to compromise the efficiency of the education we would be able to offer to all of the pupils in the class. It is also the limit imposed upon us by law for infant classes.

When there are more applications than places, children with a statement of special educational needs, or Education, Health and Care Plan, that names the school on the statement will automatically be admitted to the school.

Governors will allocate places, firstly, according to the following priorities:

• Children who are looked after by the local authority or who, immediately following having been looked after, became subject to an adoption, residence or special guardianship order.
• Children for whom it is deemed there is strong medical, mobility or social reason to attend the school applied to.
• Children of staff employed at St Matthias School, subject to the conditions detailed in Note 2.

Admissions Policy Nursery

Our admissions policy reflects the governors’ intent in creating a school with a distinctive Christian ethos. As followers of Jesus, we believe our school should:

• Serve the community in which it is based;
• Strengthen the faith of the Christian children in school through prayer and worship;
• Welcome children and their families regardless of any disability or special educational need they may have;
• Provide an education that enables all children to achieve the highest possible standards.

In order to achieve this, our admissions policy includes Foundation Places for those who regularly attend a Christian church, Other Faith Places for those who are regular worshippers of other faiths and Open Places for anyone who wishes to come to this school because of its Christian ethos. In order to provide an education that lets children achieve the highest possible standards we have a standard class size of 30. This is because we strongly believe that to go above this number would be to compromise the efficiency of the education we would be able to offer to all of the pupils in the class. It is also the limit imposed upon us by law for infant classes.

When there are more applications than places, children with a statement of special educational needs, or Education, Health and Care Plan, that names the school on the statement will automatically be admitted to the school.

Governors will allocate places, firstly, according to the following priorities:

• First, children who are looked after by the local authority or who, immediately following having been looked after, became subject to an adoption, residence or special guardianship order.
• Second, children for whom it is deemed there is strong medical, mobility or social reason to attend the school applied to. (See Note 1)
• Third, children of staff employed at St Matthias School, subject to the conditions detailed in Note 2.