We aim to ensure that your child will enjoy and benefit from his/her time here. St Andrew’s School is a calm, caring, happy and purposeful school. The school has earned a reputation for the quality of its education, as well as being a friendly establishment. St Andrew’s promotes quality teaching and learning, supporting each child to become a reflective learner. The curriculum of the school is underpinned by a foundation of core values such as honesty, respect, happiness, responsibility and tolerance. These values form the basis of the social, intellectual, emotional, spiritual and moral development of our pupils. We encourage the pupils to consider these values to help them to develop knowledge, skills and understanding that will enable them to become reflective learners and grow to be stable, educated and civil adults.
be forward looking, positive and flexible to respond to change
provide a stimulating and effective education within a broad and balanced curriculum
encourage and expect good attendance and punctuality
encourage the children to wear the school uniform, as it identifies the children as part of the school community
encourage a high standard of behaviour
support and value all school staff
communicate in a variety of ways including newsletters and via the web site, letters about extra-curricular activities and events, meetings and an annual written report
encourage each individual to do their best at all times
encourage each adult member of the school to realise his/her potential, regardless of age, gender, race or ability
take care of each other and our surroundings
work together to enhance progress and achievement
tackle any special needs
uphold Christian values in worship, Religious Education and the whole life of the school
nurture a sensitivity and respect for other religions
ADMISSIONS POLICY
St. Andrew’s Primary School is a Church of England Voluntary Aided School. The Governing Body of St. Andrew’s Primary School is the admission authority.
Recognising its historic foundation, the school will preserve and develop its religious character in accordance with the principles of the Church of England and in partnership with the churches at parish and diocesan level.
The school aims to serve its community by providing an education of the highest quality within the context of Christian belief and practice. It encourages an understanding of the meaning and significance of faith, and promotes Christian values through the experience it offers to all pupils. Parents have the right to withdraw their children from the daily Christian act of worship and from Religious Education.
Parents, who wish their children to be admitted to the school, should complete the application form available from the school office.
Every year the governing body will review and publish information concerning St. Andrew’s Primary School’s admission policy. This will confirm the maximum number of children to be admitted to the school as a whole, the Pupil Admissions Number which is currently 60 in each year group and explain how places will be allocated.
In accordance with government legislation, the governing body will consult with the Diocesan Board of Education, the Local Education Authority and other local schools in respect of the admissions policy.
The school aims to provide a place for all children whose address is within the designated area, defined as being the area within the ecclesiastical boundaries of the parishes of Preston with Sutton Poyntz, Osmington with Poxwell and Littlemoor. The address is the place where the child is permanently resident with his or her parent or parents or legal guardians. Where a child lives with parents with shared responsibility each part of the week, the ‘home’ address will be considered to be the address of the person whose name is on the child benefit booklet. This may be different to that printed on the book itself.
However, parents should not assume that a place will automatically be allocated to their child.
Starting school
A school place in the reception class is available for children from the September following their 4th birthday. The current September admission dates will be maintained for the majority of four year old children entering school. An arrangement for deferred admission can be made where early admission may disadvantage the child on the following basis:
a) deferment will be limited to the maximum of one term;
b) where it is agreed that a deferment will be appropriate, a straightforward record of the agreement and the reason for deferment will be kept by the school;
c) subject to b) above, where the parent does not take up the place full or part-time when agreed, that place will be considered vacant and offered to other parents.
Entry may not be deferred beyond the beginning of the term after the child’s fifth birthday, nor beyond the academic year for which admission is sought.
Deadline for application
Applications for Reception Year entry for the academic year starting September need to be formally registered with the school by the date stated on the Admissions forms for consideration by the admissions authority.
St. Andrew’s Primary School cannot guarantee places for children when there are no places available as a result of late applications for the normal year of entry or any application that relates to a different year group.
The Governors have set a maximum class size of 30 pupils in Key Stage One and 34 pupils in Key Stage Two. The Governors, however, reserve the right to reduce this number if it is felt that circumstances are such that the classroom space is not enough to accommodate this number of pupils. A decision on the admission of new entrants will be made during the autumn term, a year before the child’s admission. The parents or guardians will receive written notification of the outcome as soon as possible.
All formal applications received after the deadline date stated on the Admissions Form will be considered in order of receipt. Written notification will be given as soon as possible after application.
Policy
The admissions policy of St. Andrew’s Primary School is to offer a place to all applicants irrespective of sex, religion, ethnicity or country of origin, disability or academic ability.
Admissions are subject to there being adequate places available in class and adequate teaching capacity / support.
Admissions are subject to any constraints upon the school by the relevant authority (Salisbury Diocese, DfES, Local Education Authority) or where admission would be incompatible with arrangements intended to preserve the school’s religious character.
Priority will be given to those parents / guardians who have expressed a written preference for their child/ren to attend St. Andrew’s Primary School. Where this school is named in a child’s statement of special educational needs, the governing body recognises a duty to admit the child to the school.
Where such adequate resources / capacity do not exist, or where to do so would conflict with the school fulfilling class size legislation, the following priorities shall apply:
1. SEN / VULNERABLE CHILDREN
· children with a statement of special educational needs which names this school
· children within the care of Dorset County Council, for example, children in residential homes or foster care
· children of families with confirmed refugee status
· children with a medical condition where evidence is available from a senior medical officer and the child’s general practitioner or specialist showing that it would be detrimental to the child’s health not to admit him/her to the school.
2. CATCHMENT AREA SIBLINGS - A child is considered in this category if an older sibling is attending the school as at the deadline date and where the child lives within the catchment area at the same address as the older sibling. Step, half and foster siblings are included in this category.
3. PRACTISING CHRISTIANS - Those children from within the catchment area who are regular practising Christians, of whatever denomination, at a recognised church or religious group. Confirmation of status may be requested from the relevant priest/pastor.
4. OTHER CHILDREN FROM THE CATCHMENT AREA - Children resident within the catchment area who do not qualify under one of the criteria above.
5. OTHER CHILDREN - Children of whom none of the above apply.
If the school is oversubscribed in criteria 2 then criteria 3 will be used as the determining factor. In all other oversubscribed criteria the straight line distance from the front gate of the school to the front door of the child’s home address will be used as the determining factor. If two or more children with the same priority for admission live an indistinguishable distance from the school, but cannot be admitted, then the available place will be decided by the casting of lots.
We encourage parents / guardians not to hold more than one offer of a school place.
The Clerk to the Governors should be advised if parents/ guardians wish to decline the offer of a place at St. Andrew’s Primary School.