Admission Policy and Criteria for St. William of York School

2007/8

St. William of York Catholic Primary School is situated in the Diocese of Southwark and is maintained by the Lewisham Local Education Authority.

The Governing Body of the school is responsible for determining and administering the policy relating to the admission of pupils to the school.  It is guided in that responsibility by the requirements of the law, by the advice of the Diocesan Trustees, and its duty to the school and the Catholic community.  The School primarily serves the parish of St. William of York.

Having consulted with the LEA and others in accordance with the requirements of the law, the Governing Body has set as its planned admissions number 30 pupils for the school year commencing September.

Pupils who are admitted to the school will enter the reception class in September or January.

Whenever there are more applications than places available, priority will always be given to Catholic applicants in accordance with the oversubscription criteria listed below.  All applicants are required to declare their positive support for the aims and ethos of the school.

Oversubscription Criteria

Where there are more applications for places than the number of places available, places will be offered according to the following order of priority.

1.      Looked after Catholic children and children looked after by Catholic families.

2.      Baptised Catholic children from practising Catholic families who have siblings in the school at the intended date of admission.

3.      Baptised Catholic children from practising Catholic families resident in the parish of St. William of York.

4.      Other Catholic baptised children from practising Catholic families.

5.      Children who are catechumens.

6.      Baptised children from Catholic families.

7.      Other looked after children who are not Catholic themselves nor looked after by Catholic families.

8.      Children who are members of an Eastern Christian Church.

9.      Christians of other denominations whose parents are in sympathy with the aims and ethos of the school and whose application is supported by a minister of religion.

10. Any other applicants from other faiths whose parents are in sympathy with the aims and ethos of the school and whose application is supported by a minister of religion.

11. Any other applicants whose parents are in sympathy with the aims and ethos   of the school.

Special Considerations

The Admissions Committee will always give special consideration to an application made for a place in the school from the parents of a child with special educational needs, medical problems or exceptional social problems when those needs can be best met at this school, provided that such an application is submitted with appropriate evidence or reports from a relevant professional e.g. Social worker, Doctor or other similar agency. The supporting evidence must be recent and current to the child at date of application.  Further evidence may be requested by the school at a later date.

Tie break

Where the offer of places to all the applicants in any one of the sub categories listed above will lead to oversubscription, the places up to the admission number will be offered to those living nearest to the school and measured in a straight line.

Application Procedure and Timetable

The school participates in Lewisham’s Co-ordinated Admissions scheme. Parents wishing to apply for a place in the school for their child must complete the Common Application Form (CAF) and return the same to the school or Lewisham Education Authority (LEA) no later than the closing date published by LEA. Up to four schools may be ranked in preference order.

In addition, a Supplementary Form and Priest’s Declaration Form available from the school must be completed and returned to the school by the closing date if you wish your son/daughter to be considered for a place. Offers will be made early in May 2007.

Unsuccessful applicants will be given reasons related to the oversubscription criteria listed above and advised of their right of appeal to an independent appeal panel.

Waiting List

In addition to their right of appeal, unsuccessful candidates will be offered the opportunity to be placed on a waiting list.  The oversubscription criteria set out above will determine waiting list ranking.

Late Applications

Please refer to Lewisham’s ‘Starting School’ booklet for late application.                                                  

NOTES (these notes form part of the oversubscription criteria)

‘looked after child’ has the same meaning as in Section 22 of the Children Act 1989 and means any child in the care of the local authority or provided with accommodation by them (e.g. children with foster parents)

‘Catholic’ means a member of a Church in communion with the See of Rome.  This includes the Eastern Catholic Churches.  This will normally be evidenced by a certificate of baptism in a Catholic Church or a certificate of reception into the full communion of the Catholic Church.

‘practising Catholic’ means Catholic children from practising Catholic families who attend Mass on a regular basis.  ‘Regular’ would mean more often than not, i.e. 3 weekends out of 4.  The governing body will expect this practice to be verified by a reference from a priest on the Supplementary Form provided by the school.

‘catechumen’ means a member of the catechumenate of the Catholic Church this will normally be evidenced by a certificate of reception for the child into the order of catechumens. A catechumen must be at least seven years old.

‘Eastern Christian Church’ includes Orthodox Churches and is usually evidenced by a certificate of baptism or reception for the child from the authorities of that church.

Proof of address will require the production of a current community charge bill or family allowance entitlement.

Evidence of an exceptional social, medical, or other need of the child will be a letter from Social worker, Doctor or other similar agency which must be recent and current to the child at date of application.  Further evidence may be requested by the school at a later date.

For the purposes of this policy, parish boundaries are as shown on the attached map.   Distances will be measured from the main entrance of the school in a straight line on a large-scale map and/or by verification from the Lewisham Education Admissions Service Unit.  Where applicable Parish boundaries are established in the middle of the road.

Please note that admission to the Nursery does not guarantee admission to the school.  Reception admissions are considered on the published criteria at the appropriate time.