Ilam CE (A) Primary

Admission arrangements 2023/2024, 2024/2025 & 2025/2026

Admission Limits

Ilam School’s Published Admission Number (PAN) is 15 the maximum number on roll is 70. To comply with class size legislation there will be a maximum of 30 children in KS1 Class/s; this will result in refusal of catchment area applications received after 31st March where the PAN has been reached and the class already contains 30 children. With the present level of staffing and provision of resources, any increase in the proposed number on roll is considered to be detrimental to the provision of efficient education of the other pupils in the school.

Catchment Area

The catchment area of the school is the Ecclesiastical Parishes of Ilam, Blore Ray with Okeover and Swinscoe and Thorpe Village.

Admissions Criteria

If the number of applications for admission to the school exceeds the Published Admission Number (PAN), the following order of priority is used to allocate the available places.

A. Children who are “IAPLAC”. (internationally adopted previously looked after children) Children in care and children who ceased to be in care after because they were adopted (or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order), including those children who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted.

B. Children in care and children who ceased to be in care because they were adopted or became subject to a residence order or special guardianship order. Children in care means children who are in the care of, or provided with accommodation by a local authority in accordance with section 22 (1) of the Children Act 1989 at the time of making the application.

C. Residence in the catchment area of the school (i.e. the Ecclesiastical Parishes named above)

D. Pupils, who at the time of admission, have a sibling in attendance at the school. (For admission purposes a sibling is a child who lives at the same address and who is brother/sister, half brother/sister (children who share one common parent), step brother/sister where two children are related by marriage. This definition also includes adopted or fostered children living at the same address).

E. Parents or guardians active in membership* of the Anglican Church. ( A letter from clergy may be requested.)

F. Parents or guardians active in membership* of another Christian Trinitarian Church. ( A letter from clergy may be requested.)

G. Children of parents or guardians, who wish their child to experience a Christian education by expressing this verbally or in writing.

H. Other children arranged in order of priority according to how near their home addresses are to the main gate of the school, determind by the shortest road route as measured by the Local Authority’s Geographical Information System. (This may be used as a decider in a tiebreak situation)

(*Active membership means at least participation in all major Christian Festivals and regular attendance at church services.)

Admission of Reception Age Children

Pupils are admitted in September of the academic year in which they are five. Arrangements for half day schooling may be made for very young (just 4), as an induction into the school.

In Year Admissions Procedure

In response to a request for a place for a child at Ilam School, parents will be sent the following:-

1. A school booklet containing the admission criteria and application form.
2. Following a meeting of the admissions panel, a letter will be sent offering a place at the school, or stating that no place is available.

Admissions of New Entrants

All applications for the admission of new entrants, i.e. reception age children, will be considered by the Admissions panel in the February preceding the school year in which pupils are due to enter. When the Board of Governors has ratified the panel’s decision, the parents will be notified via the Local Authority. Parents will be informed of the decision during the week commencing 23rd March.

Deferred Entry to Reception Class

Parents may request that their child be admitted to Reception Class on a part-time basis or that their child be admitted to school later in the same academic year until the child reaches compulsory school age (I.E. beginning of the term after the child’s fifth birthday). The effect is that the place will be held for the child in Reception and is not available to be offered to any other child within the same academic year in which it has been offered.

Before deciding whether to defer their child’s entry to school parents should visit their preferred school(s) to clarify how they cater for the youngest children in Reception and how the needs of these children are met as they move up through the school.

Admission Outside of the Normal Age Group

Parents may seek to apply for their child’s admission to school outside of their normal age group, for example if the child is exceptionally gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health. In addition, the parents of summer born children may choose not to send their child to school until the September following their fifth birthday and may request that they are admitted outside of their normal age group to Reception rather than Year 1.

These parents will need to make an application alongside children applying at the normal age which should explain why it is in the child’s best interest to be admitted outside of their normal age which may include information such as professional evidence as to why this is the case and why an exception should be made in the case of the child. A decision as to whether this is an appropriate course of action will be made by the Local Authority who will take into account the circumstances of the case and views of the headteacher of the community or voluntary controlled school concerned. Parents do not have the right to insist that their child is admitted to a particular year group. ( Comment [PL(1]: The school Admission Codes states details of the right to defer and how to apply for admission outside of the normal age group must be detailed in the admission arrangements.)

Waiting Lists

Unsuccessful applicants will be placed on a waiting list in accordance with the oversubscription criteria stated above. If places become available after the offer date they will be offered to the child at the top of the waiting list. Waiting Lists will be kept until the end of the autumn term of admission. Inclusion on a school’s waiting list does not mean that a place will eventually become available at the school. A child’s position on a waiting list is not fixed and is subject to change during the year i.e. they can go up or down the list.

Repeat Applications

It is not the School’s policy to consider repeat applications in the same academic year unless there have been significant and material changes in the circumstances of the applicant.

Late Applications

Application forms received after the closing date will be considered alongside those applicants who applied on time wherever possible. Where it is not practicable because places have already been allocated, or are shortly to be allocated, then late applicants will be considered only after those applicants who applied by the published closing date. A late application does not affect the right of appeal or the right to be placed on a school’s waiting list.

Admission Panel

1. Composition - The Admission Panel will consist of at least five Governors, of whom it is expected the vicar will be one.
2. Responsibilities - The Admission Panel will consider applications for admission to the school. When the number of applications exceeds the number of available places, the panel will select pupils according to the published criteria.

The Admissions Panel may meet to consider applications before a scheduled Governors' Meeting. The panel's decision will be presented to the Governors for ratification.

In the event of admissions being refused and an appeal lodged by the parents, they will be referred to an Independent Appeals Panel.

The Appeals Committee will consist of three members appointed by the governors from a list provided by the county council.

School Admissions: The Law

The admission arrangements will allow the school to comply with the following legislation:

1. Under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, Admissions Authorities must not discriminate between boys and girls in the way they are admitted to schools, other than to single sex school.
2. Under the Race Relations Act 1976, it is unlawful for the Admissions Authority to discriminate against applicants on the basis of race, colour, nationality or national or ethnic origin. The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2002 imposes on LEAs a duty to promote racial equality.
3. The Human Rights Act 1988 confers a right to education although this right does not extend to securing a place at a particular school. Admission Authorities however do need to consider parents’ reasons for expressing a preference when they make decisions regarding the allocation of school places.
4. Pupils whose statutory statement of special need names Ilam School as the most appropriate mainstream school that meets the pupil’s needs will be admitted in line with current legislation.