And so begins another Primary School Place Race…. For us, last year was quite straightforward, considering we have twins. Although I must admit to waking on more than one occasion in a cold sweat thinking I shouldn’t have been so bolshie only putting 1 option on the form. But it all worked out ok in the end.
We did however receive lots of emails in the 4 months that followed asking us to clarify what we knew about this mystical and stressful thing known as the Primary School Place Race….So here it is!
All Greenwich schools have a single point of entry and admit children in September. If your child was born between 1 September 2010 and 31 August 2011, he or she will qualify for a place in a reception class in September 2015.
Key Dates are as follows
Reception admissions process for entry in September 2015
Application period starts 1 September 2014
Closing date for applications 15 January 2015
Outcome of applications 16 April 2015
Deadline for accepting 30 April 2015
Appeal hearings June and July 2015
The online eAdmissions system for applications is online and ready to go from 1 September 2014, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. which you can link to here!
But what happens after you’ve entered the Primary School Place Race.
According to Royal Greenwich council……
First priority will go to children with a statement of special educational needs (SSEN) or an education, health and care (EHC) plan naming the school. Although we know a family who are still not placed!
Remaining places will be given in the following order:
Looked after children and previously looked after children who have been adopted or become subject to a residence or special guardianship order immediately after having been looked after.
A looked after child is a child who is in the care of an English or Welsh local authority in accordance with section 22 (a) of the Children Act 1989. An adopted child must have been adopted under the Adoption and Children Act 2002, which came into force in December 2005.
Children with a sibling living at the same address who already attends the school at the time the child will be admitted.
Sibling means a full, half, step brother or sister, or a child living as part of the family unit. This does not include siblings who attend a school’s nursery provision.
Children with an acute medical or social need for a particular school.
This may also apply to an immediate family member. The application must be supported by a letter written by a hospital consultant, GP or social worker, setting out the reasons why the school is the only one that can meet the child’s needs and the implications for the child if they are not offered a place at the school.
Travel, work or childcare arrangements are not considered as being an acute medical or social need and will not be taken into account when deciding which applicants should be offered a place.
Other children based on home to school distance.
The distance from home to school is measured as a straight line from the centre of the home address to the main entrance of the school.
If two applicants live an equal distance from the school, the offer of a place will be decided by random allocation. I think this is most commonly known as finger in the air method!
Good luck!
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