Admissions to Nursery Classes 2003-2004

Guidance for headteachers on the arrangements for admission to nursery classes for September 2003.

You will by now have received guidance on the admissions arrangements for first admissions to school. For those schools with nursery classes, we intend to follow a similar procedure for the arrangements for admissions into the nursery class.

You are requested to send a list of all children seeking places in the nursery class to the admissions department immediately after Friday 28^th March 2003. A proforma for the information needed is attached. These will be passed on to the Early Years and Childcare Department for administration. Where children’s names are duplicated on one or more list, parents will be asked to prioritise their applications.

Where a nursery class is able to accommodate all of the children on the list, the school will be instructed to offer places to all of the children on the waiting list, by letter on Friday 9^th 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 and a place at the nursery class does not guarantee a place in the school. An example of a letter is attached.

Where a nursery class is oversubscribed, the Early Years 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 9^th May. The Early Years department will send letters to unsuccessful applicants suggesting alternative options and return to the school a prioritised list of applicants who may be offered places if any places become vacant.

Where a school receives a request for a place in the nursery class after Friday the 28^th May, the information should be kept on file at the school and sent to the Early Years Department for allocation.

It is hoped that this process will reduce the pressure on schools and headteachers and simplify the process for parents. If there are any further queries please contact:

Anne Dobson Education officer (Early Years) 01603 222071

Timetable for the admission to Nursery Classes

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. This should include: name names of parents date of birth full address with postcode whether child has statement 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.
Immediately after 28^th March 2003	Headteachers submit a full list of all children seeking a place in the nursery class for September 2003 to include: name names of parents date of birth full address with postcode whether child has statement 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 9^th May	Schools send out letters offering places to all children allocated places. Early Years department sends out letters to all unsuccessful applicants.
Ongoing	Unfilled places allocated by the school to children on prioritised list

Number	Name of child	Parents Names	Child’s Date of birth	Address	Postcode	Statement of Special educational Needs	Sibling attends school	Sibling attends junior/middle school
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26

Timetable for the admission to Nursery Classes

Re: Nursery Class admissions September 2003