This is the local authority admission policy for Newcastle community primary and first schools, Atkinson Road Academy and Central Walker Church of England School for the academic year 2013/14
Parents can nominate four school preferences on the common application form. All preferences will be treated equally. Every child who wants a place at a school will be offered one unless there are more applications for the school than there are places available. Where there are more applications for admission than places available, the following oversubscription criteria in the order shown will be used to determine which children will be allocated places.
Children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs where the school is named in the statement will be admitted to that school. Places will be offered to applicants ranked highest using the criteria set out below.
1. Looked After Children in the care of a local authority or children that were looked after by the local authority and immediately after that became subject to an adoption,
residence or special guardianship order (see definitions). Evidence of the appropriate order must be submitted before the closing date.
2. Children with an older brother or sister (a sibling) in attendance at the school at the date of admission. Sibling refers to brother or sister, half brother or sister, adopted brother or sister, step brother or sister, or the child of the parent or
carer’s partner where the children live at the same address.
3. Children with a specific medical reason to go to the school (for example, where the child or one or both parents has a disability that means that they can only go to one school). Supporting evidence from a doctor, or other professional involved with the child must be provided. The evidence must relate specifically to the school for which the application is being made and must clearly demonstrate why it is the only school that can meet the child’s needs. It should explain the difficulties that would arise if the child has to attend an alternative school. This evidence must be submitted with the application or before the closing date. If the required evidence is not provided, the local authority will be unable to consider giving the child higher
priority.
4. Children living nearest to the school. Measurement is the straight line distance from a single fixed central point at the school to a point in the centre of the home
address of the child, using the Local Land and Property Gazetteer or a suitable alternative geographical information system. A place will be offered at the highest
ranked preferred school for which the child is eligible. If a place cannot be offered at a nominated school, a place will be offered at the nearest school with available places for which the child is eligible. If an application is not received, a place will be offered at the nearest school with available places for which the child is eligible.
In the event that more than one child has an equal right to an available place
the place will be offered to the older child. Preferences can not be changed after
the closing date for applications unless there are very exceptional circumstances and the allocation process has not begun. Parents have two weeks to return an
acceptance for an offer of a school place. If an acceptance is not received it may be assumed that a place is no longer required.
Late applications - Applications received after the closing date will be classed
as late and processed after all of the applications received on time. If there are very exceptional circumstances as to why the application is late, appropriate evidence is supplied and the allocation process has not begun, a late application may be processed on time as an exception.
Parental responsibility - Parents who share responsibility for the care of their
child are expected to reach agreement to a school placement between them. In the event of a dispute the school will accept the application from the parent to whom the child benefit is paid.
Waiting lists - Children will be kept on a waiting list for any school ranked higher on their application than the school they have been offered and will be allocated a place if one becomes available. The waiting list will be ranked in order of priority using the oversubscription criteria. Waiting lists will be held until the end of the autumn term.
Right of appeal - Parents or carers who are not offered a place for their child at the school have a statutory right of appeal to an independent appeals panel. Please contact the local authority for information (phone 0191 277 7428). Information is also available on the Newcastle City Council website.
A Looked After Child is a child who is in the care of a local authority in accordance with section 22 of the Children Act 1989 at the time the application for admission to school is made and whom the local authority has confirmed will still be looked after at the date of admission.
An Adoption Order is an order made under section 46 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002.
A Residence Order is an order outlining the arrangements as to the person with whom the child will live under section 8 of the Children Act 1989.
A Special Guardianship Order is an order appointing one or more individuals to be a child’s special guardian or guardians.
Page last updated: 30 August, 2012
