Admissions Update
08/05/2017
Late Applications
Change
Late applicants including those applying after national offer day will not be considered during the first round of offers and will instead receive offers on one of a number of fixed allocation days.
This change is intended to make the reallocation process easier for parents to understand
Impact
This may mean that a school will have spaces available on national offer day but also have a waiting list until our reallocation process begins.
To find out the reallocation dates for your school or Academy please follow the click the links below;
Timetable for processing admissions applications for Primary & Year 3
Timetable for processing admissions applications for Secondary Schools
Recommendations for Academies
If a parent contacts your school please either ask the to ring us on 01926 41 4111 to discuss or you can advise them of the reallocation dates accordingly. Reallocation dates are available below;
Timetable for processing admissions applications for Primary & Year 3
Timetable for processing admissions applications for Secondary Schools
What we are going to do
We assure you that places will be filled as quickly as possible in line with the timetable of admissions arrangements.
We will inform you of any re-offers which are made for your school as soon as possible.
Our full statutory Service Specification can be found below;
Statutory Service Specification
Accepting & Declining of Places
Change
For the transfer round (reception, junior and secondary) we will be operating an "auto acceptance" of offers.
It will only be necessary for parents to contact the schools admissions team if they wish to decline the place offered.
We understand there has been a misconception that these changes have been put in place to save time and resource due to budget constraints within the service, this is not the case as this change is intended to make the process easier for parents and to allow the schools admissions team to focus on the reallocation process and processing late applications benefiting schools and academies.
Impact
The admissions service will automatically accept any school place that has been offered at your school or academy unless a parent informs us that another school place has been accepted (for example at an independent school or in another authority).
You will still be able to view your class lists in SAM as per previous years.
Recommendations for Academies
As per in previous years we ask you to be proactive in letting the admissions service know of any declines that you have received from parents and we will follow this up.
Please inform us of any children that do not turn up to “taster days” or do not engage in home visits.
Please also inform us of any children that do not turn up in September and we will follow these up.
What we are going to do
Once the school have informed the schools admissions service, we will actively contact parents of any child who tries to decline a place or does not engage in taster days or home visits to understand their plans and report back to the school.
Any places that do become available at your school or academy from these enquiries will be offered to children on the waiting list as soon as possible in line with the timetable detailed in the admissions timetable detailed in the service specification.
We will also follow up any missing children.
Applications From Overseas
Change
Impact
Recommendations for Academies
What we are going to do
Summer Born Children
Change
There is a revised process for parents of summer born children who would like to defer their child's entry into reception to the academic year following their 5th birthday.
This change has been made in response to guidance issued by the DFE and an increase in such requests from parents and schools. Parents will be able to complete a request form outlining their reasons for deferment, and preferred schools will be asked to consider the request and respond accordingly.
Impact
Schools may see an increase in deferment requests.
Recommendations for Academies
We ask that you consider any deferment requests and contact the admissions service with any queries you may have regarding these types of requests.
If a parents contacts you directly to request a deferment please point them in the direction of the Deferred Entry Form on our website.
What we are going to do
The schools admissions team will handle any deferment requests and the associated administration that goes with these types of requests.
We will keep you informed of any requests we have for your school.
As per previous years, we will monitor national statistics data and provide this information to schools to allow you to analyse as you see fit.
In Year Admissions For 2017 Entry Onwards
Changes
Key changes have been made in terms of expected response times from Academies
The way in which a school considers the application has changed, you will now have up to 7 school days from the date the application is sent via email to you by the admissions service to respond. However, it is expected that the majority of applications will be processed by the school in 2-3 school days.
If you have space in the required year group, you must inform the schools admissions service as soon as possible using the school response form which will be attached on the email to ensure that we can make the formal offer to the family as soon as possible.
If you are full in the year group, you must inform us using the school response form so that we can issue an official refusal which will trigger the parents legal right to lodge an appeal for a place at your school.
Reasons for refusal are limited, the main reason for declining a place will be if the school is full, or alternatively you may feel that the child falls under the Fair Access Protocol (FAP), however you must this very clear in your response to the schools admissions service and XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Impact
If the school refuses to cooperate with the in-year process or there is a delay in receiving a response from the school (after 7 school days) the admissions officer dealing with the application will escalate the case to the principal officer.
In this instance, the Head Teacher will be contacted by a senior manager within the admissions service and presented a secondary deadline to respond, if the school fails to respond to the second deadline presented the application will be escalated further to a Head of Service which could then result in the Local Authority beginning proceedings to direct a school to offer a place to the child or the EFA may be asked for their input which would lead to actions being taken against schools which have an Academy status.
Recommendations for Academies
Ensure all staff dealing with admissions application on behalf of your school are aware of the processes and potential repercussions if these processes and timescales are not adhered to.
Ensure any enquiries you receive from parents wishing to apply for a place at your school using the in-year process are informed to contact the schools admissions service in the first instance to make the application.
What we are going to do
The schools admissions service will ensure that all applications are processed within 10 school days of receipt. This includes sending the application to the school via email within 2 school days. We will ensure places are offered in line with your school’s oversubscription criteria and will administer the waiting list accordingly.
We will also act as a point of contact for all parents applying for your school.
Fair Access Protocol
We have introduced a revised fair access protocol for Primary and Secondary schools which has now been implemented.
Change
Impact
A school place can only be refused if the child falls under one of the fair access protocol categories listed in the above.
Recommendations for Academies
Ensure all staff dealing with admissions application on behalf of your school are aware of the in-year fair access protocol and potential repercussions if these processes and timescales are not adhered to.
What we are going to do
