Longwood Primary

Admission arrangements 2024/2025 & 2025/2026

Longwood Primary school is a Foundation School and forms part of the Tame Valley Cooperative Learning Trust (TVCLT). The schools in our Trust share a common set of values and principles alongside a common purpose: a commitment to improving the learning of the young people across our family of schools. 

We believe this policy should be a working document that is fit for purpose, represents the school ethos, enables consistency and quality across the school and is related to the up to date relevant legislation. We wish to comply with the School Admissions Code of Practice. Annually we will publish the admission number for this school but there are times when this number will change in line with local authority and government statutory guidance. We currently admit 30 pupils in each cohort. 

We will consider all applications for admission as we are an inclusive school and will admit pupils without reference to general ability or aptitude. We believe we operate a fair and equal admissions policy. We will admit any child with a statement of special educational needs that names this school. We as a school community have a commitment to promote equality. Therefore, an equality impact assessment has been undertaken and we believe this policy is in line with the Equality Act 2010. We all have a responsibility to ensure equality permeates in to all aspects of school life and that everyone is treated equally irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. We want everyone connected with this school to feel safe, secure, valued and of equal worth. 

We acknowledge the findings of the Race Disparity Audit that clearly shows how people of different ethnicities are treated across the public services of health, education, employment and the criminal justice system. We believe it is essential that this policy clearly identifies and outlines the roles and responsibilities of all those involved in the procedures and arrangements that is connected with this policy.

Aims

• To comply with the School Admissions Code of Practice.
• To establish and maintain a fair and open admissions policy.
• To ensure compliance with all relevant legislation connected to this policy.
• To work with other schools and the local authority to share good practice in order to improve this policy.

Role of the Governing Body

The Governing Body, as the admissions authority, has: 

• a duty to consider all applications to this school fairly and openly
• delegated powers and responsibilities to the Headteacher to ensure all school personnel and visitors to the school are aware of and comply with this policy
• an Admissions Committee in place
• responsibility for ensuring that the school complies with all equalities legislation
• Leadership and Management committee will ensure that appropriate action will be taken to deal with all prejudice related incidents or incidents which are a breach of this policy
• a responsibility for ensuring this policy and all policies are maintained and updated regularly
• a responsibility for ensuring all policies are made available to parents on the website

The Leadership and Management committee will:

• visit the school regularly
• work closely with the Headteacher
• ensure this policy and other linked policies are up to date
• ensure that everyone connected with the school is aware of this policy
• attend training related to this policy
• report to the Governing Body every term
• annually report to the Governing Body on the success and development of this policy
• ensure responsibility for the effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation of this policy

Role of the Headteacher

The Headteacher in conjunction with the Leadership and Management Committee will: 

• ensure all prospective parents are fully aware of the:
  • admissions criteria
  • how to apply
  • appeal process
  • role of the admissions committee
• ensure that all applications are looked at fairly and openly
• work in conjunction with the Senior Leadership Team to ensure all school personnel, pupils and parents are aware of and comply with this policy
• provide leadership and vision in respect of equality
• provide guidance, support and training to all staff
• annually report to the Governing Body on the success and development of this policy

 Role of the Leadership and Management Committee

The Leadership and Management Committee will annually review the following admissions criteria: 

1. Children who are looked after by the Local Authority or those who have been adopted outside of England and Wales. 

2. Priority will be given to the admission of pupils’ who reside within the school’s designated catchment area and those parents have expressed this preference if the admissions number of the school has not been exceeded. 

3. In the event of over-subscription from within the school’s designated catchment area, the following sub-criteria will be applied to prioritise admissions: 

a. children recommended for admission on medical grounds, supported by a Medical Officer or psychological or special educational needs reasons. These must be confirmed by the Local Authority’s professional advisers and the official consultation process must be adhered to enabling the school the opportunity to assess if the school can meet the child’s needs.

b. children who have older siblings at the school at the date of admission will be admitted in preference to those who do not. A sibling is a child who has one or both parents in common and reside within the same household as the sibling attending Longwood.

c. where there is more than one case as in (a), priority to be assessed on the basis of those children closest in age to the elder siblings already at the school at the date of admission

d. after taking account of categories (a) to (d), priority will be based on closeness to the school. Google maps will be used to measure the distance as the crow flies from the house to the main school gate. 

4. When considering whether a child lives in a school’s catchment area, the address considered is that of the parent or legal guardian, irrespective of a family’s domestic arrangements, i.e. the address of another relative or childminder etc. must not be given. In certain cases it may necessary to provide evidence relating to the child(ren) in question, to show the home address of the child(ren). 

5. Subject to class size and other requirements, pupils’ residing outside the school’s catchment area will be admitted if the admissions number of the school has not been exceeded. In the event of over-subscription from outside the catchment area of the school, the sub-criteria described at (a) – (d) above will be applied to prioritise admissions. 

6. Leadership and Management committee will:

• work closely with the Headteacher
• ensure that this policy and other linked policies are up to date
• ensure that everyone connected with the school is aware of this policy
• annually report to the Governing Body on the success and development of this policy
• in the event of over-subscription administer the following criteria

7. In the event of “Over Subscription” unsuccessful applications will be place on a waiting list in the event of a space becoming available. Parents will be contacted should this arise and given the opportunity to decline or accept a place. If the place is no longer required the next person on the list will be contacted. 

8. Parents can request that their child attends school part-time until they reach compulsory school age. This request needs to be put in writing to the Chair of the Committee and discussed with the Head teacher. 

Role of the Parents/Carers

Parents/carers must: 

• be aware of and comply with this policy
• apply by using the appropriate application form
• be aware of the deadline for admission applications
• be aware of their right of appeal if their application is unsuccessful by following the procedure as set out in the letter received from the local authority
• when preparing for the appeal parents/carers may seek help from the Children's Legal Centre or other such agencies that support parents/carers by helping with:
  • the letter of appeal
  • understanding what happens at the appeal hearing
  • how parents/carers can complain about the way the appeal was carried out

Role of the Data Protection Officer

The Data Protection Officer will:

• have expert knowledge of data protection law and practices
• inform the school and school personnel about their obligations to comply with the GDPR and other data protection laws
• ensure data management is strengthened and unified
• monitor compliance with the GDPR and other data protection laws
• manage internal data protection activities
• ensure risk and impact assessments are conducted in accordance with ICO guidance
• report data breaches within 72 hours
• ensure individuals have greater control over their personal data
• ensure that prior to the processing of an individual's data that:
  • the process is in line with ICO guidance
  • the process is transparent
  • the individual will be notified
  • the notification is written in a form that is understandable to children
  • when sharing an individual's data to a third party outside of school that details for the sharing are clearly defined within the notifications

• share an individual's data where it is a legal requirement to provide such information
• process all written subject access requests from individuals within 40 days of receiving them
• have in place a formal contract or service level agreement with a chosen data processor who is GDPR compliant
• ensure the secure disposal of redundant data and IT hardware holding data in compliance with ICO guidance
• train school personnel
• conduct audits
• be the first point of contact for supervisory authorities and for individuals whose data is processed
• keep up to date documentation of all data protection activities
• work closely with the Headteacher and nominated governor