E-ACT Blackley Academy

Admissions Arrangements

Introduction

This policy is based on the following advice from the Department for Education (DfE):

• School Admissions Code
• School Admissions Appeals Code
• School Standards and Framework Act as amended

As an academy, the school is required by its funding agreement to comply with these codes, and with the law relating to admissions as set out in the School Standards and Framework Act and associated legislation.

This policy complies with the Academy's funding agreement and articles of association. E-ACT is the Admissions Body for E-ACT Blackley Academy (‘the Academy’).

Admission numbers

The Academy accepts pupils from Nursery up to Year 6.

The PAN (Published or Planned Admission Number) for nursery (3 - 4 year olds) is 60 places, these may be split across the week as part time places, at the Academy's discretion eg. 30 in the morning and 30 in the afternoon. There is not an automatic transfer from nursery to reception class in the academy. A separate application must be made for a place in a reception class. For nursery places the Academy will make the formal offer of a place.

The PAN (Published or Planned Admission Number) is 60 for Reception. For admissions into Reception, the Academy follows the application process and timelines set out by Manchester City Council. Where eligible applications for admission exceed the number of places available, the oversubscription criteria listed below will be applied in the order set out below to decide which pupil, who meets the required criterion, to admit. Children who

have an Educational Health and Care Plan naming the Academy will be admitted prior to offers made via co-ordination. These children will be included in the school’s PAN.

The oversubscription criteria are also used for in-year admissions for each year group when pupils are on the waiting list. Reception place applications received after the deadline of 15 January will be processed after National Offer Day. Late applications will be processed in accordance with Manchester City Council admissions timescales.

Oversubscription Criteria

Once places have been allocated to children with an Educational and Health Care Plan, if there are more applicants than places as set out in the stated PAN, then the following oversubscription criteria for admissions will be used, in the following order:

• Criterion 1: A ‘looked after child’ or a child who was previously ‘looked after’ but immediately after being ‘looked after’, became the subject of an adoption, residence order or special guardianship order (as defined in the Notes attached).
• Criterion 2: Exceptional and Compelling Medical, Psychological, Social or Special Access Reasons (the definition of which and process to be followed is set out in the Notes attached) which can only be met at the Academy. It is important that additional evidence is required in respect of this (as defined in the Notes attached). Please note that a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) must be completed for an application under this criterion within the timescales for the point of entry required.
• Criterion 3: Siblings (as defined in the Notes attached) of pupils currently on the roll at the Academy at the time of application for the proposed admission of the applicant.
• Criterion 4: Children who at the time of the application are eligible for the Early Years Pupil Premium, the Pupil Premium or the Service Pupil Premium (each defined in the attached Notes). Please note that a SIF form must be completed for an application under this criterion within the timescales for the point of entry required.
• Criterion 5: Children whose parent/carer is a member of staff who has either been continuously employed at the Academy for two (2) or more years at the time of application for a place or has been recruited to fill a vacancy for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage. Please note that a SIF form must be completed for an application under this criterion within the timescales for the point of entry required.
• Criterion 6: Any other applications of which priority of placement will be given to children who live nearest to the Academy (including if this address is with a parent/carer with shared responsibility for the child or not). The child’s home address will be the child’s permanent place of residency and must not be a business address, or the address of a relative or carer, unless they have legal custody of the child. Applications must only be made from a single address.

Waiting List

If any vacancies arise between National Offer Day, 16 April and 31 December of the same year for reception, priority will be given to those on the waiting list managed by Manchester City Council.

From 1 September to 31 August the waiting list for admissions into all other year groups of current school age children will be maintained by Manchester City Council or the Academy.

If places become available during this period, or for the beginning of the following academic year, admissions will be handled in accordance with the In-Year procedure outlined below.  

Any places will be allocated from the waiting list using the oversubscription criteria set out above and not by the date that a child joined the waiting list. If parents/carers decline an offer of a place, they may subsequently request to re-join the waiting list. The child’s name will then be added onto the end of the waiting list as extant at the time the request to re- join is made.

Each time a child is added to the waiting list this will require the overall waiting list for the Academy to be ranked again in line with the oversubscription criteria. Priority will not be given to children based on the date their application was received or their name was added to the list. Looked after children, previously looked after children, and those allocated a place at the school in accordance with the Fair Access Protocol, will take precedence over those on a waiting list.

The Academy's waiting lists are only maintained for an academic year, so one will need to apply again for the next academic year.