School Admissions
We are committed to meeting the needs of all children including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. We would ask parents to discuss the identified needs with the school prior to starting so that appropriate intervention and support can be planned and implemented. Advice from the LA or other agencies may be requested to ensure any the school can meet any needs appropriately.
Full details of the admission arrangements can be found in the Primary and Secondary Admissions brochure produced by Durham County Council.
Visit the Durham County Council website for information regarding the school admission process and primary school admissions.
To appeal against an admission decision visit: School admissions-appeals.
We have placed below the Primary School Admission Brochure for you to view, please select the link for further details. If you would like further information about applying for a place in our school or nursery please contact us.
Applying for a school place if your child has an Education, Health and Care Plan or a Statement of SEN
Children and young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan (or Statement of Special Education Needs) follow a different admission and transfer process for a new school. Please continue to complete Durham County Council’s parental preference form, as part of the admission process to a new school. You continue to have a right to request a particular school and this will be considered alongside the information that we have about your child’s special educational needs. The information would have been provided as part of the Education, Health and Care assessment or following the review meeting.
All of our school policies can be found on the website
Early Years Admissions
Admissions into Reception
Admissions into Reception and mid year transfers from another school are administered by Durham County Council. Please click on the link below to find information about how to apply for a place.
http://www.durham.gov.uk/article/5109/School-admission-arrangements-201819
The admissions criteria and definitions of terms can also be found via the link. However, here is a summary:
If more children want a place than there are places available, we will offer places according to the following criteria, strictly in order of priority:
- Children who are ‘looked after’ or a child who was previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, residence, or special guardianship order. A looked after child is a child who is, at the time of making an application to a school, (a) in the care of a local authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see the definition in section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989).
- Medical Reasons Pupils with very exceptional medical factors directly related to school placement.
- Sibling Links Pupils who have a sibling already attending the school and who is expected to be on roll at the school at the time of admission.
- Distance Pupils who live nearest the preferred school measured by the shortest walking route. This will be based on the parents’ address. Where the last place to be allocated would mean that a multiple birth sibling group i.e. twins, triplets or other multiple birth sibling groups, would be split, the sibling group will be given priority over other children.
Admissions into Nursery
Admissions into our Nursery are administered by the school. We admit children into Nursery the term after their third birthday. However, if your child is eligible, they may be able to join us the term after their second birthday.
From September 2017, working parents of 3 and 4 year olds will be able to access 30 hours of free childcare per week depending on their circumstances.
To find out if your child is eligible to start nursery early or if they are eligible for 30 hours free child care, please contact the school or click on the link below:
http://www.durham.gov.uk/article/2955/Free-early-years-provision
If more children want a place than there are places available, we will offer places according to the following criteria, strictly in order of priority:
- Children In Need
The Children Act 1989 defines a child ‘in need’ as:
- a) He/she is unlikely to achieve or maintain, or to have the opportunity of achieving or maintaining, a reasonable standard of health or development without the provision of services by the Local Authority under Part 3 of the Act.
- b) His/her health or development is likely to be significantly impaired, or further impaired, without the provision for him/her of such services.
- c) He/she is disabled. In addition, Durham County Council has determined that children of families where English is not the main language of the family will be considered under this criterion.
A maximum of two part-time nursery places are retained until the end of the Autumn half term in order to accommodate emergency referrals of children “in need” as defined in the requirements of the Children Act, 1989.
- Children Transferring from One Nursery Setting to Another
Once a child has begun attending a particular nursery school/unit, it is usually in the child’s best interest to remain at that nursery school/unit until transfer to the next phase of their education. However, where parents move house, for example, it may be impractical to remain at the same setting.
There may also be other exceptional reasons as to why a transfer from one Maintained Nursery School or Unit to another would be appropriate, but this would be rare and subject to the agreement of the school following guidance from the Local Authority. Where possible nursery schools/units will aim to provide for children who have already started Early Years Provision.
Admission into Little Rainbows (2 Year Old Provision)
The Two Year Old Free Entitlement
Where a child has been accessing the free entitlement for 2 year olds in daycare that is directly associated with a maintained nursery school or unit, for a minimum of 15 hours per week for two terms immediately prior to the child becoming eligible for free entitlement, they shall receive priority for admission to that maintained nursery school or unit in order to preserve continuity, providing that they also live within County Durham’s administrative area.
- Age
The offer of a place will be prioritised according to date of birth. Normally, the earliest date your child can be accepted for Early Years Provision is at the age of 3, although some 2 year olds can access the free entitlement. Where applicants have the same date of birth, priority will be given to the earliest date of application.
Contacts:
Please contact Mrs Byrne to discuss any questions regarding admission into our Early Years Unit.
