ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 2008/2009

APPLICATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO ST. ALBAN’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL.

Mission Statement

St Alban’s School will educate our young children within a happy, caring environment and Christian atmosphere; thus their whole lives may be inspired by the Spirit of Christ they experience.

Introduction

The status of our school is Voluntary Aided. The school exists primarily to support the education of Catholic children in the parishes of St Alban’s, Chaddesden and St Hugh’s, Borrowash, the boundaries of which are agreed by the Derby Deanery.

The school aims to provide a high standard of education and a community built upon our faith.

Any parent, whether Catholic or not, may apply for a place for their child

Admission Authority

The Governing Body is the admissions authority and all decisions about admission are made by a committee of the Governing Body. The admissions process is co-ordinated by Derby City Local Authority on behalf of the Governing Body.

Before finally determining the policy, the Governing Body has consulted with the Diocesan Education Service, the Local Authority and all other schools in the relevant area in accordance with the provisions of the Education Act 2002.

If the Governing Body has made an allocation of a place on the basis of fraudulent or intentionally misleading information, that place will be withdrawn.

Arrangements and Procedures

(a)       To the Primary School.
During the first week of November 2007 application packs will be sent out to parents of children born between 1st September 2003 and 31st August 2004 who are attending an OFSTED registered childcare/nursery facility, other families need to apply to Derby City Council.

Applications should be made on the Common Application Form as well as the Voluntary Aided Schools Supplementary Form, which is obtainable from the school.

Both forms, together with any required documentation stated on the form, including a Baptismal Certificate, where appropriate, should be sent to the Council at Middleton House, 27 St Mary’s Gate Derby.

Children living outside Derby City whose parents wish to request a place at St Alban’s School need to complete a Derby City Common Application Form.

Parents should be aware that those who express a preference for the school would have priority over those who have not. The closing date for applications for admission into the Reception Year in respect of the school year 2008/2009 is the Friday 14th December 2007. Parents will be informed of the decision on Friday 4th April 2008.

(b)       To the Foundation Stage (FS1).
Applications for the Foundation Stage (FS1) should be made on the Foundation Stage Admission Form, which is obtainable from the school secretary or nursery. The forms should be signed by the parents/ guardians and returned to the school. Applications for admission into the Foundation Stage should be made as soon as possible. Mrs. Bradford will then contact parents when places become available. Applications from Catholic parents who move late into the area will always be considered.

Visiting the School.

Parents wishing to apply for a place for their child are invited to write to, or telephone, the school to arrange a visit. Your child is very welcome to join you in a tour of our school.

Waiting Lists.
The waiting list will open on the offer day after allocation day. Places on the waiting list will be determined according to the over subscription criteria below. The waiting list will close 30th September 2008.

Late Applications

Any applications received after the closing date will be accepted, but considered only after those received by the closing date. You are therefore encouraged to ensure that your application is received on time.

Allocation of Places

Parents will be informed by the council if a place has been offered by the school. you will also be notified if you do not receive a place and allocated a place in your second choice or locality school (if places are available). Parents will be informed of the decision on Friday 4th April 2008.

In Year Applications

The Pupils and Personnel Committee of the Governing Body will consider applications from parents, made during the school year, following the allocation day. The “In-Year Admission Common Application Form”, is available from either the school or the Local Authority.

If the respective year group total is below the admission number for that year group, presently 45, the child will be offered a place. If the respective year group total is above the admission number, the child will be offered a place only after consultation with the Local Authority and if the committee decides that the education in that year group will not be detrimentally affected by the admission of an extra pupil.

Appeals

Parents who wish to appeal against a decision of the Governors must do so in writing to the Clerk to the Governors c/o St. Alban’s School, before June 1st 2007.

The Governors have a responsibility to the Diocesan Trustees to maintain the Roman Catholic character and ethos of the school and admissions will be controlled with this in mind.

St. Alban’s Primary School serves the Catholic parishes of St. Alban’s Chaddesden and St. Hugh’s Borrowash. The Governors propose to admit 45 pupils to the reception class for the school year September 2008 to August 2009.
 
Parents have the right to appeal to an independent panel.

CRITERIA FOR OVERSUBSCRIPTION 2008/2009

If the number of applications exceeds the Planned Admission Number of 45, the governors will apply the following criteria in order to allocate places. 

Children who have a Statement of Special Educational Needs where the school is named as the most appropriate educational setting for the child will be admitted. This will reduce the number of places available to applicants.

Priority will be given in all categories to children who have a sibling (see note 1) in the school at the time of application

Category

1. Children who are in the care of the Local Authority, (see note 3) will have the first priority. (Baptised Catholic children will be given preference over children from other Christian Faiths, other World Faiths)

1. After the above have been admitted, if places are available, baptised Catholic children (see note 2) from the parishes of St. Alban and St. Hugh will be considered.

1. After the above have been admitted, if places are available, baptised Catholic children (see note 2) from outside the parishes of St. Alban and St. Hugh will be considered.

1. After the above have been admitted, if places are available, siblings of children already in school will be considered.

1. After the above have been admitted, if places are available, children who have undergone a baptismal rite, recognised by the Catholic Church, and where at least one of the parents is a baptised Catholic, will be considered.

1. After the above have been admitted, if places are available, the Governors will consider children who are baptised or dedicated members of other Christian churches as recognised by Churches Together in England. (see note 4), and desire a Catholic education for them.

1. After the above have been admitted, if places are available, the Governors will consider children of other world faiths whose parents are requesting a Christian environment for their children’s education.

Tie Breakers

First priority in all categories will be given to siblings (see note 1) that is, children who will have older brothers or sisters attending the school at the proposed time of admission.

If categories Two or Three are oversubscribed, priority (after sibling priority) will be given to children who attend weekly Mass with one or both parents or with a close friend. Parents will be issued with a verification form, which will need to be countersigned by a priest who can verify Mass attendance.

If category Six is oversubscribed, priority (after sibling priority) will be given to members of the Orthodox Churches.

If category Seven is oversubscribed, (after sibling priority) the Governing Body will make a decision based on measurement by a straight line. The line will be measured from the centre of the home address to the school using the national Ordnance Survey set points, as used by the Local Authority.

This distance “tie breaker” will be used in any of the 7 categories, if two or more applications are equal in all other respects.

Note 1 - Definition of Sibling

Siblings (brothers or sisters) are considered to be those children who live at the same address and either:

1. have one or both natural parents in common

2. are related by a parent’s marriage

3. are adopted or fostered.

Note 2 – Definition of Catholic

1. A child baptised in the Roman Catholic church or baptised in one of the other rites of the Catholic church whose members are in full communion with the Bishop of Rome (Pope Benedict XVI).

2. A child baptised in another faith Christian faith who has been received into full communion in the Roman Catholic faith.

3. A child who, with his or her family, is enrolled in a recognised course of preparation leading to baptism.

Note 3 – Definition of Looked after child (in public care)

This includes any child who is subject to a Full Care Order, an Interim Care Order, accommodated under section 20 of the Children Act 1989 or is remanded or detained into Local Authority accommodation under Criminal Law.

Note 4 – Churches Together in England

The Baptist Union of Great Britain                              Church of England

Council of African and Afro-Caribbean Churches               Salvation Army
Cherubim and Seraphim Council of Churches                    Methodist Church
Church of Scotland Congregational Federation                 Moravian Church
Council of Oriental Orthodox Christian Churches              
Free Churches’ Council                                                    Greek Orthodox Church
Independent Methodist Churches                                   Roman Catholic Church
New Testament Assembly                                               Wesleyan Holiness Church
Joint Council for Anglo-Caribbean Churches                   United Reformed Church
Lutheran Council of Great Britain                                    Ichthus Christian Fellowship
Religious Society of Friends                                           Russian Orthodox Church                                                       

Note 5 – Place of Residence

The child’s ordinary place of residence will be deemed to be a residential property at which the person or persons with parental responsibility for the child resides at the closing date for receiving applications for admission into the school.

Where more than one person holds parental responsibility, and those persons reside in separate properties, the child’s ordinary place of residence will be deemed to be that property at which the child resides for the greater part of the week, including weekends.