Admissions to Nursery Classes 2004-2005
Guidance for headteachers on the arrangements for admission to nursery
schools and nursery classes for September 2004.
You will by now have almost completed your admissions process for the allocation of places in your nursery classes for 2003-2004. We are now planning the process for admission into nursery schools and nursery classes for the academic year 2004-2005.
We are proposing to collect the required data electronically
and guidance on how to do this is included with this letter. You are requested to provide a waiting list
of children whose birthdates fall between 1.09.2000 and 31.08.2001 as soon as
possible after Friday 19th March 2004. These will be passed on to the Early Years and Childcare
Department for administration.
In response to concerns raised by schools, the first rule for admission to nursery classes at community and voluntary controlled schools has been changed with effect from September 2004 to read:
“Children with independently verified evidence of additional need”.
Where a school wishes to prioritise a child according to this rule, the headteacher will be expected to keep on file, for future verification, the evidence used to support the application. At present it is not possible to collect this information electronically. Where schools have a child or children on their waiting lists with independently verified evidence of additional needs, they are asked to e-mail this information to Sue Brown in the Early Years Department, giving the following information in respect of each child:
Name Date of birth Nature of evidence held on file
(E.g. SEN Statement, health visitor or speech therapy report, letter of support from a social worker etc.) It is not necessary to send the evidence to the early year’s team.
The above information should be e-mailed to:
Sue Brown Administrative Assistant 01603 223462
Where a nursery class is able to accommodate all of the children on the list, the school will be returned the list of children to whom places in the nursery class may be offered. Schools should inform parents of this offer by letter on Friday 7th May.
When children are offered places in a nursery class, it would be helpful to point out to parents in the letter that transport to and from early education provision is not available. Similarly a place at the nursery class does not guarantee a place in the school, neither is there an expectation that the child offered a place should apply for a place that school. An example of a letter is attached.
Where a nursery class is oversubscribed, the Early Years and Childcare Department will prioritise the applicants according to the admissions criteria. The school will be sent a list of the children who may be offered a place in the nursery class, by letter on Friday 7th May and a prioritised list of applicants who may be offered places if any places become vacant. If required, the Early Years and Childcare Department will send letters to unsuccessful applicants suggesting alternative options.
Where a school receives a request for a place in the nursery class after Friday the 19th March, the information should be kept on file at the school and sent to the Early Years Department for allocation.
If there are any further queries please contact:
Sue Brown Administrative Assistant 01603 223462
|
Date |
Action |
|
Ongoing |
Headteachers of all schools with nursery classes to maintain a list of children, whose parents are requesting a place at the nursery class within the Phoenix Database. This should include: School name Name of child names of parents date of birth full address postcode whether the child is in the nursery class evidence of additional need whether sibling at school whether sibling at adjoining junior/middle school |
|
February/March |
Headteachers may find it helpful to contact parents to confirm their interest in a place for their child in the nursery class for September. No promise of a place should be made at this time. |
|
As soon as possible after 19th March 2004 |
Headteachers submit a full list of all children seeking a place in the nursery class for September 2003 to include: School name Name of child names of parents date of birth full address postcode whether the child is in the nursery class evidence of additional need whether sibling at school whether sibling at adjoining junior/middle school |
|
April |
Schools will be sent a list of children to whom places in the nursery class may be offered. Where nursery classes have been over-subscribed, schools will be sent a prioritised list of names of children who may be offered a place should a vacancy occur. |
|
Friday 7th May |
Schools send out letters offering places to all children to whom places have been allocated. If required the Early Years department sends out letters to all unsuccessful applicants. |
|
Ongoing |
Unfilled places allocated by the school to children on prioritised list |
Date
Dear XXXXXXX
I am pleased to be able offer XXXX a place in the nursery class from September 2004. Further information on the school and how we introduce new children into the nursery class (is enclosed/will follow shortly)
I would like to point out that the offer of a place in the nursery class does not guarantee a place in the school. Similarly, there is no requirement that you apply for a place for your child at this school. You will have to apply separately for a place in a school Reception class for September 2005.
There is no provision for transport for nursery aged children, so even if a sibling is provided with free school transport, children in the nursery class are not eligible.
We look forward to welcoming both you and your child into the nursery, but meanwhile if you have any queries please contact me.
Yours Sincerely