Atwood Primary School - Admissions Criteria for Nursery Classes

The Admission Number for Atwood Primary School is 52 (part time places – either five mornings a week or five afternoons a week).  Pupils will be admitted into Nursery classes in the Autumn term of the school year in which they become four.

Application forms are available from the school office and all applications must be made directly to the school.  Parents/Carers are asked to state a preference for morning or afternoon sessions.  Where this cannot be accommodated, the school may offer the alternative session.

The admission of children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) does not form part of the Admission arrangements other than that they will be admitted in accordance with the statementing process.

If the number of applications is smaller or equal to the number of places for the morning and afternoon sessions separately, then all children will be offered a place at their preferred session.  If the number of applications is smaller or equal to the total number of places (52) but a particular session is oversubscribed, then priority will be given using the criteria below, and other children will be offered the alternative session.  If the number of applications is higher than the number of places, then allocations will be made in the following order and treated as two separate groups (morning / afternoon):

1. Children in Care

Children resident in public care at the date on which the application is made. The application must be supported by a letter from the relevant Local Authority Social Services Department.

2. Siblings

Children who will have a sibling in attendance at the school at the time of enrolment of the new pupil; sibling priority is also accorded to children, other than brothers and sisters, who are part of a single family unit and who are resident at the same address. (Note: sibling status is granted only where the applicant has parental responsibility for all the children concerned. It does not apply to children of different family units living at the same address).

3. Medical

Pupils with serious medical reasons for needing to attend Atwood Primary School. The medical reason must be verified by a doctor or consultant and declared at the time of application if known at the time. In certain limited circumstances, it may be possible to take account of the medical condition of a parent. It is important that verification of a medical condition by a doctor or medical consultant is submitted at the time of application, even if it is believed that an offer of a school place will be made on the basis of alternative admission criteria ie nearness to the school. There is no guarantee that a child will receive an offer of a preferred school place.  Decisions on priority of admission on medical grounds will be made on the basis of recommendations of the Local Authority’s Medical Adviser.  The Authority’s Medical Adviser may wish to contact the general practitioner/doctor and/or consultant concerned.

4. Geographical grounds

Places are then allocated on the basis of distance from the school to the child’s home, with those living nearer being accorded the higher priority.  This will be measured ‘as the crow flies’, in a straight line from either the school gates on Limpsfield Road, or the school gate at the end of Tandridge Gardens (whichever is shortest), to the boundary of the child’s home.  In the case of children living in flats, those in the lower numbered flats receive priority over the higher numbers.
In the event of a tie-break, the older child will take preference over the younger child.

Child-minding factors cannot be taken into account when allocating places.  Children in the Nursery are not guaranteed a reception class place at the school.

‘Casual’ Admissions

The process described above is that used for dealing with large numbers of children of the same age entering school at the same time.  Some applications have to be processed individually at other times as pupils transfer between schools for whatever reason. If a place is available then the child will be admitted.  Casual admissions, as with all admissions to the Nursery, should be made directly to the school.

Waiting Lists

The school will not, therefore, maintain an ordered waiting list. Information can be provided to parents about the order of priority of applications being held at a particular time but no guarantee can be given that higher priority applications will not be received by the time a place becomes available.