St Peter's London Docks CofE Primary School

Nursery Admissions Policy

All admissions to the School are at the discretion of the Governing Body.

The Governing Body will ensure that the number of pupils admitted to each year group will be such as to conform to DFE and LA recommendations. The Governing Body reserves the right to reduce the number of admissions below its agreed intake figure after consultation with the LA and DFE.

Applicants should be aware that Nursery education is a non-statutory service and that accordingly a child’s attendance in the School’s Nursery class does not guarantee a future place in the Reception Class.

A total of 30 pupils will be admitted to the Nursery each September. Our aim and intention is that all Nursery places will be filled on a full time basis. Parents requiring part-time places are still invited to apply and will be considered after preference has been given to full time applicants who are eligible for funding for a full time place. Part time places will be for the morning session each day.

Applications must be submitted via the Tower Hamlets online admissions portal – www.eadmissions.org.uk

In addition, applicants will need to fill out the School’s Supplementary Forms in particular the Part B form relating to religious practice and references from Parish Priests and Church Officers. This will ensure that the School has the requisite information to apply the Oversubscription Criteria (see below). Supplementary Forms will be distributed by the School and must be returned to the School Office by the stipulated date.

The Governing Body will set up an Admissions Committee comprising the Chair of the Governing Body, the Head teacher and one other Governor to consider applications for places in the School.

The Admissions Committee will consider applications for admission at a time other than at the start of the School Year in accordance with the School’s Admissions Policy and Oversubscription Criteria.

For all applications independent verification will be sought of the parents’ residential address.

St. Peter’s School will write to all applicants in May to say whether or not the application has been successful.

Oversubscription Criteria

If there are more applications than places available, the Governing Body will award places according to the following order of priority:

• Looked after children.
• Baptised children whose families are practicing Anglicans who are on the Parish Electoral roll as regular communicants of St Peter’s London Docks Church (form completed by the Parish Priest).
• Baptised children whose families are practicing Anglicans other than those included in criterion 2 above (form completed by the Parish Priest).
• Children whose families are practicing Christians other than those included in criterion 2 and 3 above (form completed by a Parish Priest, Minister, Church Leader or Church Officer).
• Children who are baptised Christians and whose parents/carers are in sympathy with the aims and ethos of St Peter’s London Docks School (supported by baptism certificate)

Note

In the event that during the period specified for attendance at worship the church has been closed for public worship and has not provided alternative premises for that worship, the requirements of these admissions arrangements in relation to attendance will only apply to the period when the church or alternative premises have been available for public worship

All other applications

Within each of the six Oversubscription Criteria first priority will be given to applications on behalf of children who will have a brother or sister attending a Reception, Key Stage 1 or 2 class in St Peter’s London Docks Primary School on 1st September .

Second priority will be given to applications on behalf of children whose parent is a member of staff who has been employed at St Peter’s London Docks for two years or more at the time of the application and/or children of a member of staff who has been recruited to fill a vacancy for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.

Tie-breaker

In the event of there being insufficient vacancies to admit all applicants in any of the Oversubscription Criteria detailed above, places will be offered to those children whose parents’/carers’ residential address is the shortest distance from the main gates of St Peter’s School as measured by the local authority.

Twins and Multiple Birth Applications

In the event of a final adjudication the place will be offered by random allocation which will take place in the presence of an independent witness.

Reception Class Admissions

Applicants should be aware that Nursery education is a non-statutory service and that a child’s attendance in the School’s Nursery Class does not guarantee a future place in the Reception Class or Years 1 to 6. A fresh application must be made by those seeking places in the Reception Class or Years 1 to 6.

Appeals Procedure

There is no right of appeal for nursery places.

Waiting list

If there is no place available at the School, parents/carers may have their applications placed on the School’s waiting list. In the event of a vacancy arising in any year group the Oversubscription Criteria (see above) will be applied in order to determine the offer of places.

Periodically, those applicants on the waiting list will be contacted and asked to confirm if they wish it to remain on the waiting list. If confirmation is not received by a given date the application will be removed from the waiting list.

Interpretation of terms used in the Admissions Policy and Oversubscription Criteria