The admission policy of the school follows that laid down by Wiltshire County Council. This information can be found in the County Information Booklet “Admissions to Community and Voluntary Controlled Schools” a copy of which is held in school.
1) Starting School
Legally, a child must attend full-time education in the term following their 5th birthday. Up to this time, education is not compulsory. However some children are ready to begin school either full or part time before they legally have to. Each child needs to be looked at individually and their needs discussed by the parents and the school.
With this in mind, we have put together the following as a pre-5-year old policy.
- Children will be allocated a place in school from the September following their 4th birthday.
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Children with a birthday falling between 1st September and 31st March will start school in September, at the beginning of the Autumn Term. This will be part-time for the first 4 weeks of term and from then on, if appropriate, full-time.
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Children with a birthday falling between 1st April and 31st August cannot attend school full time in the term following their 4th birthday i.e. the Autumn Term. They can attend part time in the Autumn Term and may attend full time from the January before their 5th birthday.
PLEASE NOTE: the above timings are guidelines only and may be changed or adapted to accommodate the needs of individual children. Every child is different and the best interests of the child must be at the core of any educational programme.
2) Early, Deferred or Delayed Admission, or Transfer.
Early Admission: Only in very exceptional circumstances will a child be allowed to start school before the Autumn Term following his or her 4th birthday. Early admission will only be granted in situations where there are compelling medical or social reasons which have an adverse effect on the child and there is no suitable pre-school provision available. Applications for early admission must be made through Wiltshire Local Education Authority (LEA) and must have the approval of the Authority’s professional adviser. Early admission will be agreed for a maximum of one term before the normal entry date.
Deferred Admission: The school does not require children to be admitted in September. Parents have the right to defer their child’s admission to school to the start of any subsequent term, which occurs up to the child’s 5th birthday. The child will not lose his or her allocated place if admission is deferred, provided admission occurs within the same academic year. Notification of the intention to defer should be given directly to the school as soon as possible after a place has been offered.
Delayed Admission: If a child’s admission is deferred beyond the current school year the place originally offered cannot be held over and a fresh application is required. Children whose entry is delayed are generally expected to join their chronological; peer group, i.e. Year 1. Any request for a reception place must have the approval of the LEA’s professional advisor.
Early or delayed transfer to secondary school will only occur if it can be shown that the child is exceptionally mature or immature and will not be recommended on academic prowess alone. Each such request is only determined after consultation between Collingbourne school, the secondary school, the parents and where appropriate the LEA’s professional advisor.
3) Application
All parents seeking a place for their child in Reception must apply early in the calendar year in which their child is due to start school, using the Wiltshire County Council form. This applies to all children, including those living within the school's designated area.
Children living within the school’s designated area who do not apply before the deadline set by the LEA (the date is published annually) will not automatically receive a place. They will however, have the highest priority for remaining places as detailed below.
Children wishing to start Collingbourne School in years other than reception must also apply through Wiltshire County Council using the appropriate application form.
4) Over subscription Criteria
The school is pleased to consider all applications and encourages applicants from outside the school's designated area. In framing a policy to guide the consideration of such applications, the Governors have taken into account the following:
- The desirability of setting an ideal maximum number for the whole school, given health and safety issues, the size of the site, the limited infra-structure and the merits of maintaining a relatively small cohesive school community. (Currently 119 pupils)
- The Published Admissions Number (PAN). This is agreed for each school annually and defines the number of places available for the year of entry. All applications must be agreed until the PAN has been reached and this figure will not be exceeded unless there are exceptional circumstances. (Currently17 pupils per year)
- The size of the infant classes must not exceed 30.
The admission criteria for all years, in order of priority are:
- Children within the care of Wiltshire County Council, and with a placement agreed within the school’s designated area at the deadline date.
- Children who live within the school’s designated area with a sibling at the school, providing the sibling is not in year 6.
- Children who live within the school’s designated area, without a sibling at the school.
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