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Information for Parents Admissions How to apply
for a place at Lower Farm School You MUST
complete the Education Walsall Application Form to apply for a place at Lower
Farm for your child. Applications from parents of pupils who live outside the
Borough of Walsall are welcomed; however you must complete the Application
Form to apply for a place. Lower Farm is a very popular school and there is
usually a waiting list (see How places are allocated) If you wish
to move Primary School
If your child
attends a primary school and you wish to transfer to Lower Farm you should
contact Mr Baker, the Head Teacher by phone, letter or e-mail. Click here for contact information How places
are allocated Most parents are
successful in gaining a place at their chosen school. We have 26 places in
our Nursery and 60 places available in our Reception Classes. Infant Class
sizes are limited, by law, to 30. If we receive
more applications than there are places available then we apply the LEA’s admission
criteria to decide who will be offered a place. The admission criteria are
shown below, in order of priority. 1.
Children in Public Care (looked after children) 2.
Children who have a brother or sister already in attendance at
the school when the application is made. 3.
Children for whom a place at the school is essential on medical
or social grounds as supported in writing by a medical practitioner or a
social worker. (Applications will be subject to verification by the Chief Education
Officer) 4.
Distance between the address and the school as measured in a
straight line, with priority given to those living closest. If there is over-subscription in criteria 2, 3 and 4, priority
will be given to those living closest to the school as measured in a straight
line. Notification
of the result of your application We will tell you
by letter whether your application has been successful or unsuccessful.
Withdrawing the
offer of a place The offer of a
place at an oversubscribed school may be withdrawn if the Application Form
contains fraudulent or intentionally misleading information which would deny
a place being given to a child with a higher priority. This may include, for
example, where a false home address is given on the Application Form. Where a
place is offered based on the address given on the Application Form but
subsequently found to have changed because you have moved home, the place may
be withdrawn. This will not affect your right of appeal. During the
admissions procedure you must notify your chosen school of any change of home
address. Waiting List
Policy A waiting list
is kept for any oversubscribed year group. The waiting list will be kept in
admission criteria order. Any vacancies will be offered on the basis of the
LEA’s admission criteria. A waiting list
is kept for one term only. On the last day of each school term, the names of
all the children will be removed from the Waiting List. If a parent wants
their child’s name to be added to a new Waiting List they must write to
school at the start of each new term. Parents may
enquire about their child’s position on the waiting list by contacting the
school. Click here for contact information How to appeal
if your application is unsuccessful Parents who do
not obtain a place for their child at the school of their choice have a
statutory right to appeal against the decision. The appeal will be heard by
an Appeal Panel which is independent of the school governing body and Local Education
Authority. Parents are encouraged to attend the meeting of the Panel.
If the appeal
is successful, the child must be admitted by the school. If an appeal is
unsuccessful, a further appeal in the same school year will not be heard
unless there are significant changes in the circumstances of the parent or
the school. The decision
of an Appeal Panel is final. Infant Class
Size Limit The school governors
are legally required to ensure that all infant classes have 30 or fewer
pupils. This limit applies to Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 classes. If an appeal
is made for an infant class, the school or LEA may use the Infant Class size
legislation to advise an Appeal Panel that by admitting another pupil there
would be “infant class size prejudice”. This means that by admitting an
additional child the school would be forced to add a new classroom or employ
an extra teacher in order to keep infant classes at or below 30, now or in
the future. Where infant
class size prejudice is proven, parents appealing for places are free to talk
about their personal circumstances at the hearing but the panel will into
take them into account unless they are relevant to the two factors they are
allowed to look at, which are a) The decision was not one
which a reasonable admission authority (LEA or governing body), properly
aware of its responsibilities would make in the circumstances of the case.
The circumstances which may be considered include the school’s admission
policy, the internal organisation of the school and its ability to accommodate
pupils in compliance with the class size limit; or b) The child would have been
offered a place if the admission arrangements had been properly implemented. To request an
appeal form If you wish to
appeal for a place at Admissions and Planning Unit Education Civic Centre WS1 1DQ Admission
appeals should be heard within a reasonable time – normally within 30 school
days of an appeal being made or, for appeals during the normal admission
round, within 30 school days of any specified closing dates for receipt of
appeals. |
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