Birstwith CE Primary School

Visits to school are warmly welcomed any time. If you are interested in looking round our school, please do contact the school office to arrange an appointment.

This document is a statement of the aims, principles and strategies for Admissions to school.

As a Local Authority School, admissions and appeals processes are managed by North Yorkshire County Council. Visit their School Admissions webpage here.

Admission for a child starting school in Foundation Stage

We cater for children from four to eleven years of age. Children are admitted full time to the Foundation Stage (Reception) at the beginning of the Autumn Term preceding their fifth birthday. The maximum number of children to be admitted to the Foundation Stage in any academic year, the Published Admission Number (PAN), has been set by the LA (in consultation with the Governing Body) at 12.

The Authority must make arrangements so that parents may express a preference for the Schools in which they wish their children to be educated. Wherever possible those preferences will be met, unless to do so “would prejudice the provision of efficient education or the efficient use of resources” (Education Act 2002).

Parents who wish to consider Birstwith CE Primary for their child starting school in the Foundation Stage should make an appointment to visit the school to meet Miss Kirkman and have a personal tour of the school, when school policies and procedures will be explained to you and there will be time to ask any questions you may have. We are keen that prospective parents visit the School during the school day to observe it in action. Arrangements may be made with Mrs Graves, School Administrator, for a mutually convenient time. Following the visit it is helpful if they make school aware of their preference and ensure the Local Authority application is completed to the timescale advised.

Places will normally be provided for all those children who live in the area by which the School is served. Where Schools are over-subscribed (i e where the number of applications exceeds the number of places available), places will be allocated in the priority order as follows:

• Children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs which names the School
• Children and young people in public care for whom the school has been expressed as a preference and previously looked after children, that is children who were adopted (or subject to residence orders or special guardianship orders) immediately following having been looked after
• Children the authority believes have special social or medical reasons for admission.
• Children living in the normal area of the School
• Children living outside the normal area of the school

It is the parents’ responsibility to get the children to and from School.

Admissions are organised by the Local Authority.  Further information can be obtained by visiting the North Yorkshire School Admissions website here .

Arrangements for Admission into the Foundation Stage

During the term before their children begin School, parents will be contacted by letter and arrangements will be made for the children to come into School for several familiarisation visits. There will also be a meeting for prospective parents in the term before the children start school.

In year admission – Admission to school at any other time

If parents wish to consider a transfer for a child at any other time in their primary education for whatever reason, please again make an appointment to look round the school and meet Miss Kirkman, who will advise you if there are places available in that particular year group.If there are no places in your child's year group at the school and your request for a place is refused, you will have the right to submit an admission appeal.

All parents should apply for a place at the school for their child online. Visit the North Yorkshire Changing schools and in year applications webpage here.