Determined Admission Arrangements for Community and Voluntary Controlled Primary Schools for 2023/24

Determined primary admission arrangements

1. General Information

This policy applies solely to applications for places at Voluntary Controlled (VC) and Community (C) Primary, Infant and Junior Schools.  Foundation (F), Voluntary Aided schools (VA) and Academies (A) are their own admissions authorities and the governing bodies are responsible for determining their own procedures and policies.

Determined arrangements for the co-ordination of primary admissions are drafted with the determined co-ordinated admissions scheme 2023/24.

The application round for entry into Reception and Junior Year 3 2023, opens on 1 September 2022. The deadline date for applications to be received is midnight on 15 January 2023.  The home address given for the child must be the address where the child is resident as of the deadline date.

a. Designated Area

A designated area is a discrete geographical zone served by a school.  The address that determines a child's designated area is the place where he or she is ordinarily resident with his or her parent(s) or legal guardian(s) for the majority of the school week.  Most schools have a discrete designated area, but some addresses fall within areas shared by two or more schools.  Children living outside the county boundary are treated as if the children live within Wiltshire but outside the designated area for the school(s) in question. 

In the case of children from the boating community (Boaters) proof of mooring will be required.  Those without a permanent mooring, must provide details/proof of their sorting office, post office/poste restante address and this will be used for admissions criteria and allocation purposes.

b. Preferences

Parents will be invited to state up to three ranked preferences.  Each preference will be considered equally.  This means that Wiltshire Council will consider all applications against the published admissions criteria without reference to how the school applied for has been ranked on the application form.  As far as possible applicants will be offered a place at a school to which they have expressed a preference.  Where the applicant has made more than one preference the LA will make an offer for the highest ranked preference school possible with available places in accordance with the standard admission criteria.  Where it is not possible to offer a place at a preferred school, and the applicant lives in Wiltshire, the LA will allocate a place at an alternative school.  Allocations will be made after all expressed preferences have been considered.  An applicant will normally be offered a place at the designated school for their home address.  An alternative school may be allocated in cases where the designated school is full, and the alternative school is within the safe statutory walking distance and has places available or it is a school to which free home to school transport would be provided.

In the case where there are more children living within an area, than there are places available, and the parent has not named the designated school(s) as one of their preferences, the remaining places will be randomly allocated.

c. Children with an education, health and care plans

All children whose education, health and care plan names a school must be admitted.

d. Published Admission Number

A Published Admission Number (PAN) is agreed for each school annually and defines the number of places available for the year of entry.  All applications must be agreed until the PAN has been reached, and this figure will not be exceeded other than in exceptional circumstances, for example, a child living in the designated area for who there is no reasonable alternative place available.  In this circumstance, reasonable is defined as a school within the statutory safe walking distance from the applicant's home address of two miles for children aged under eight and three miles for children aged eight or over, or it is a school to which free home to school transport would be provided.

A list of PAN's for Voluntary Controlled and Community Schools can be found at the back of this policy document.

e. Address

The child's address provided on the application form should be that of the child's normal place of residence. Only one address can be considered for application purposes. The address provided will be used to determine the child's priority for a school place.  The Local Authority reserves the right to confirm the address provided by the applicant using the council tax reference number which is provided as part of the application.  

For Yr R  and Junior Yr 3 September 2023 entry, the address used to determine priority of school places for on time applications submitted in the main round, will be the child's normal place of residence as at deadline date of 15 January 2023.  A future address from an applicant who is moving can be considered if the Local Authority receives evidence in the form of an exchange of contracts or a tenancy agreement of a minimum of six months by the 8 February 2023.

Where children spend time with parents at more than one address then the address given on the form should be the one at which they are normally and habitually resident, i.e. sleep at, for the majority of term-time school nights (Sunday night to Thursday night). If children spend time equally at different addresses, then the address which will be used for admissions purposes will be the one registered for child benefit. The Local Authority may request proof of the registered address, which must pre-date the application.

Future addresses from applicants who currently own a property that is unoccupied or rented out, for which they plan to return to, will not be used when allocating places, unless a formal notice to terminate the rental agreement has been received by the deadline date/ exceptional circumstances date.  Such applications will be checked to confirm the applicants have returned to the property. If the applicant has not returned to the address, it will be considered a fraudulent application and the place will be taken away, even if the child has already started school. If no proof is provided, the current address will be used to determine the child priority of a school place.

For in year transfer applications the current address at the time of application will be used.

f. Shared Parental Responsibility

Where two (or more) adults have parental responsibility for a child it is preferable that they should agree before submitting an application form which school(s) to name as their preference(s). In cases of dispute, or where two application forms are submitted, the LA will process the application received from the adult who has a residence order.  If no such order has been made, preference will be given to the parent with whom the child is living for the majority of the school week.

If both parents are in dispute as to whom the child lives with the majority of the school week, the LA will process the application received from the adult who is in receipt of the child benefit, if this is not available then the address used on the NHS card will be used.

In the event of a further dispute regarding the application used, parents may wish to take independent legal advice on whether they should seek a specific issue order from the court to decide on where the child is schooled.  For in year transfer applications, until any such order is made, the placement will continue in the best interests of securing educational provision for the child with a minimum of disruption.

For year of entry, where possible, a place will be offered in accordance with the preferences to the parent who can provide evidence that they are in receipt of child benefit.

g. Multiple births

The LA will endeavour to place siblings born at the same time (e.g. twins, triplets etc) in the same school.  If necessary, schools will be required to admit over PAN to accommodate such children.  In accordance with paragraph 2.16 of the School Admissions Code 2021, twins and multiple births will be classed as permitted exceptions to the Infant Class Size Regulations.  This will only be the case when one of the siblings is the 30^th or the 60^th child admitted.

h. Children of UK Service Personnel (UK Armed Forces)

Applications for children of UK service personnel with a confirmed posting to the county will be considered in advance of the family moving into the county if necessary.  Where possible, an application must be included in the normal admission round.

An official letter, such as a posting note or letter of support from the Commanding Officer should be sent to the LA as soon as possible.  This should include the relocation date and unit postal address or quartering area address.

Until a fixed address is available, the unit postal address will be used, and a school place allocated accordingly. For service personnel moving back to a property that they own and that is currently rented out, then this address can be considered provided a signed letter from the Commanding Officer is received stating the future address or a formal notice to terminate the rental agreement. This should be received by the deadline / exceptional circumstances deadline.

If there is a tie-break situation then the criteria of the relevant admissions authority will be applied.

The LA will not refuse a child of UK service personnel a place because the family does not currently live in the area. It is also not permitted to reserve places for these children. If a place is not secured at the preferred school and the applicant has provided proof of a Wiltshire address, then an alternative place will be allocated. This will be at the next nearest school to the unit postal address or quartering address with available places.

Children will be considered to be siblings if any brother or sister (including step siblings living at the same address) have been formally offered and have accepted a place at the school. The sibling link will not apply if the child on roll is in Yr 6 for VC & C's schools. Their position on any waiting list will be set accordingly.

All applications will be dealt with in accordance with these admission arrangements.  If a reasonable alternative cannot be offered, the child may be admitted as an 'excepted pupil' under the School Admissions (Infant Class Sizes) (England) Regulations.

2. Starting school  

There is a legal entitlement for all three and four-year-olds to have access to 15 hours free early education per week - available from registered childminders, school-based childcare, pre-schools, day nurseries, playgroups, or as part of a Children's Centre. Working parents of children aged three and four years of age will be able to access 30 hours for Free Entitlement, certain criteria will need to be met.

A school place will be made available for children from the September following their 4^th birthday.  Full-time education is available to all reception pupils.

Parents have the right to ask that their child attends part-time and this will be provided by arrangement with the school governors.  Part-time provision has been determined as either five mornings or five afternoons a week.

Schools will be responsible for informing parents of the induction arrangements for new entrants to the reception class(es).  These may involve a short period of part-time provision or a phased entry at the beginning of Term 1, which will normally be a fortnight.  Individual children(s) cases for induction should be discussed by the parents(s) with the school directly. 

3. Joint admission arrangements with pre-schools

A small number of schools enter into a formal joint arrangement with a pre-school or nursery to provide education jointly to children before they reach statutory school age.  Such an arrangement usually involves each child attending school for some sessions each week, however, attending the pre-school or nursery school does not give priority for admission to the partner school.

The date on which a child can be admitted to a joint arrangement must be no earlier than the start of the term following his or her 4^th birthday but can be later than this.

Registration at any nursery or pre-school unit will not be considered as an application for a school place. Attending a nursery / pre-school does not guarantee any child a place at a school.  Applications can only be considered in line with the school's individual over-subscription criteria.

4. Early, deferred or delayed admission

a. Early admission

Admissions earlier than the term following the child's 4^th birthday may only be agreed in exceptional circumstances, such as medical or social factors that have an adverse effect on the child.  The request must have the approval of the LA's professional adviser and there must be no suitable alternative pre-school provision available.  Early admission will be agreed for a maximum of one traditional term before the next available normal entry date.

b. Deferred admission until later in the academic year

Parents do not have to ensure their child receives full time education until the start of the term following their fifth birthday. However, parents have the right to start their child in school in the September of the academic year following their fourth birthday. In such circumstances, parents also have the option to start their child on a part-time basis or defer their child's entry until later in that academic year.

If a parent decides to defer their child's entry to the school that they have been offered until later in the academic year, that place will be held for the child and will not be offered to another child.  However, please note that entry cannot be deferred beyond the point at which their child reaches compulsory school age (for the avoidance of doubt the law states that a child reaches compulsory school age on the prescribed day following his or her fifth birthday [or on his or her fifth birthday if it falls on a prescribed day]. The prescribed days are 31 December, 31 March and 31 August).   For children born between 1 April and 31 August, parents cannot defer entry beyond the beginning of the April term of the school year for which the offer was made.

Please note also that children who attend part-time until later in the school year cannot do so beyond the point at which they reach compulsory school age.

If the parent decides that they no longer wish to take up their child's place, they should inform the school and the Local Authority that the place is no longer required. The offer of a place will then be withdrawn and reallocated to the child who is top of the waiting list at that time.  The parent must then submit a fresh application for a place in year one for the following academic year.  The application can be submitted from April 2023 but will not be considered until at least June 2023.

Any request to defer or attend part-time should be made to the school as soon as an offer is received.

c. Delayed admission

All applications will be dealt with in accordance with the School Admissions Code 2.17, 2.17a, 2.17b, which came into force on 19 December 2014:

Parents may seek a place for their child outside their normal age group, for example, if a child has experienced problems such as ill health. In addition, the parents of a summer born child (born from 1 April to 31 August) may choose not to send that child to school until the September following their fifth birthday and may request that they are admitted out of their normal age group - to reception rather than year 1.

All requests must be submitted to the Local Authority by 15 January 2023 for entry in to September 2023.

Requests should be made from the September following the child's third birthday, in order to give sufficient time for the case to be considered by the admissions authority prior to the deadline for applications of 15 January 2023.

Parents of a summer born child may choose not to send their child to a school until the September following their fifth birthday and they may request that they are admitted outside their normal age group - to reception rather than year 1. All admission authorities are required to make clear in their admission arrangements the process for requesting admission outside the normal age group.

The decisions on requests for applications outside the child's normal age group are made by the admission authority for each particular school, which in the case of voluntary controlled and community schools is the LA. For voluntary aided, foundation schools or academies the admissions authority is the governing body of the school concerned. The decision to admit outside their normal age group is made on the basis of the circumstances of each case. All parents who wish to apply for delayed entry into reception for any Wiltshire school, must first submit a formal application to the LA.

If parents are applying for a voluntary controlled or community school, they will also need to make a written request at the time of application to the local authority's admissions co-ordinator, providing reasons for the request along with any supporting documentation they wish to include.

If parents are applying for a delayed entry at a voluntary aided, foundation school or an academy, as well as submitting a formal application to the local authority they should also contact their preferred school directly to discuss the request.

In the case of voluntary controlled and community schools, the Local Authority will look at the following factors when an application for admission outside the normal ages group:

• the parent's views
• information about the child's academic, social and emotional development;
• where relevant, their medical history and the views of a medical professional;
• whether they have previously been educated out of their normal age group;
• whether they may naturally have fallen into a lower age group if it were not for being born prematurely
• the views of the head teacher of the school

The Local Authority will make decisions on the basis of the circumstances of each case and in the best interests of the child concerned.

If the parental request for delayed admission into reception is agreed, a separate application for a place in the next cohort would have to be made in the following September. This application would be considered along with all the other applicants for admission in that year at the preferred school. There would be no guarantee that a place would be able to be offered in the preferred school. If the preferred school is over-subscribed and a place is not offered, the local authority will make an alternative offer. However, please note that delayed admission in to reception in the alternative school may not be possible.

If the parental request for delayed admission into reception is refused, the formal application which has already been submitted will be processed, unless the Local Authority receives a request from the parent to withdraw the application.  If no request to withdraw the application is received, after the offer of a school place had been made the parent can then inform the Local Authority and the school that they want to defer entry until later in the academic year as outlined above.

When informing a parent of their decision on the year group the child should be admitted to, the admission authority mustset out clearly the reasons for their decision.

Applications for delayed entry to out of county schools

Parents who wish to apply for a main round delayed entry to an out of county school should submit the request to Wiltshire Council.  Wiltshire Council will pass this on to the other Local Authority for consideration.  Wiltshire Council will then inform the parent of the decision of the request.

Parents who wish to apply for a delayed entry as an in-year transfer should contact the Local Authority where the preferred school is situated for details of how to apply.

Right of Appeal for admission of children outside their normal age group

Parents who are refused a place at a school for which they have applied have the statutory right of appeal to an independent Admission Appeal panel. They do not have a right of appeal if they have been offered a place and it is not in the year group they would like. However, if parents are dissatisfied with the outcome of the request for delayed entry into reception they have the right to complain against the decision through the Council's complaints procedure for decisions made by council officers or under the school's complaints procedure where the school is the admissions authority.

5. Deadline - applications received by the deadline date of midnight 15 January 2023 will be considered as first round applications

The closing date for main round applications (i.e. applications for entry into Reception and year 3 - 2023) is 15 January 2023. 

All applications received after the deadline of 15 January 2023, including those directed incorrectly to schools and not forwarded to the LA before the deadline, will be treated as late applications and considered only after those applications received before the deadline have been determined. 

6. Oversubscription criteria for Voluntary Controlled and Community Schools

Where a school is oversubscribed, places are allocated to children in order of the ranked criteria listed below:

a. Looked After Children/Previously Looked After Children

The definition of Looked After Children - A 'looked after child' or a child who was previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, child arrangements, or special guardianship order including those who appear [to the admission authority] to have been in state care outside  England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted. A looked after child is a child who is (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). Proof will be required and must be submitted by the deadline date. 

b. Vulnerable Children

Children from families registered with the National Asylum Support Service; Children or families with a serious medical, physical or psychological condition where written evidence is provided at the time of application from a senior clinical medical officer, general practitioner or specialist showing that it would be detrimental to the child or family not to be admitted to the preferred school.

For the purpose of the above criteria the word 'family' is determined as living at the same address at the time of the application and also living at the same address on a permanent basis.  Proof will be required and must be submitted by the deadline date. 

c. Linked Infants School (this criterion applies to infant-to-junior YR2 applications only)

Children who are pupils attending year 2 at the linked infant school as at the deadline date, irrespective of the status of the school, i.e. F, A, C or VC.

d. Designated area siblings and shared area siblings

A child is considered under this criterion if a sibling is attending the school (or the linked junior school in the case of applications to an infant school) as at the deadline date and will continue to attend the school at the time of entry, and where the child lives within the designated area or shared area at the same address as the sibling.  Step, half and foster siblings are included in this category.      

e.  Other children from the designated area or shared area  

 Children resident within the designated area or shared area who do not qualify under one of the criteria above.

f. Other Siblings

A child is considered under this criterion if a sibling is attending the school (or the linked junior school in the case of applications to an infant's school) at the deadline date and will continue to attend the school at the time of entry, and where the child lives at the same address as the sibling.  Step, half and foster siblings are included in this category.

g. Children of staff at the school

A child is considered to fall under this criterion

i. where the member of staff has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the     school is made, and/or

ii. the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.

If applicants wish to be considered under this criterion then a letter or email from the Headteacher confirming the above applies to the applicant must be provided at the time of application. 

i. Other Children

Children to whom none of the above criteria apply.

If the school is oversubscribed within any of the listed categories, the straight-line distance from the child's home address to the school will be used as the determining factor.  Distances will be measured according to the Ordnance Survey eastings and northings for the child's home address and the school.  Those living closer to the school will be given priority.

Tie Break

If two or more children with the same priority for admission live an indistinguishable distance from the preferred school but cannot all be admitted, then the available places will be decided by means of casting lots.

The random allocation will be conducted independently by Democratic Services, Wiltshire Council.

7. Waiting lists for all year groups

Waiting lists for VC & C Schools will be maintained for all year groups. Parents must request that their child is added to the waiting list, children will not automatically be added to them.  All applicants have the right of appeal against any refusal of a place.  The existence of a waiting list does not remove this right from any unsuccessful applicant.

The position on the waiting list will be determined by applying the published over-subscription criteria and not by date order of receipt.  This will mean a position will change if a later application is received from someone with higher priority according to the oversubscription criteria.

Waiting lists for all year groups will close on the last day of the summer term in July 2024.

Parents may submit a fresh application for the next academic year group which will be considered from 31 May 2024 onwards.

Places that become available will not be offered to pupils who are not on the waiting list.

If a child is offered a place from the waiting list for any VC or C school, then the place must be accepted or declined within 10 working days of the date of offer.   The child must start at the school within date specified in the letter.

Notes

• Names will only be removed from a waiting list, if a written request is received or if the offer of a place that becomes available is declined.
• Registration of interest on a school's pre-admission list will not be considered as an application for a school place.
• Parents must contact any VA, F school or the Academy concerned to obtain information on of a waiting list and or maintenance of a waiting list.
• Except for service families, children will not be considered to be living within the designated area for a school until the LA receives an exchange of contracts or a signed tenancy agreement of a minimum of six months.
• Except for service families, children will not be considered to be a sibling unless their brother or sister is attending the school and is expected to still be in attendance at the chosen start date.

8. Applications for Reception and YR 3 Junior 2023 Intake - applications received after 15 January 2023

Applications received between the 16 January 2023 and 26 April 2023 will be treated as second round applications.

Applications received after the 26 April 2023 will be treated as third round applications.

9. Appeals Procedure - Main Round Applications

Parents have a right of appeal to an independent panel against any decision made by or on behalf of the Admissions Authority as to the school which education is to be provided for their child.

First round appeals

For applications received from 1 September 2022 - 15 January 2023 and for offers made on National Offer Date, appeals must be received by the Local Authority no later than 17 May 2023.

Second round appeals

For applications received from 16 January 2023 - 26 April 2023 and for offers made on 26 May 2023, appeals will be heard as soon as possible.

Third round appeals

For applications received after the 26 April 2023 and for offers made after 29 June 2023, appeals will be heard as soon as possible.

All appeals will be heard in accordance with the timescales which have been determined and are explained in the School Admissions Appeals Code.

Parents who have appealed unsuccessfully can reapply for a place at the same school in a later academic year and have a right of appeal if unsuccessful.

Where there have been material changes in circumstances in the same academic year and a repeat application is considered and again refused, the parents will have the right to a fresh appeal.

If a child is offered a place at appeal for a VC or C school, it must be taken up within 28 working days of the required admissions date stated on the original application form unless the child is not of statutory school age.

Please note appeals are only heard in term time.

10. In Year Transfer Applications for year groups other than Reception and YR 3 Junior2023 Intake

Applications received after the 25 July 2023 for the year of entry and any applications received for other year groups are classed as in-year transfer applications.

All applications will be considered together with any applications that have already been refused, and the child's name will be placed on the waiting list accordingly.

Applications for transfer for VC and C schools will be considered no more than a maximum of one term in advance.  All requests for admissions to VC and C Schools will be processed in line with the timetable below.  Applications will be considered together and are ranked using the oversubscription criteria listed in this policy. 

Where the LA receives an in-year application form expressing a preference for a VC or C school the application will be forwarded to the school within three school days of receipt. The school is then required to advise the LA if a place can be offered within two school days or receipt.

The following table gives the earliest date that applications can be sent and when they are considered. Decision letters should be posted within 15 school days of either the date in the last column or, if your application is later than this, our receipt of your form.

Applications received requesting more immediate admission are considered in the order that the School Admissions Team receives them.  If more than one application for a particular school is received on the same date, places are allocated to children in order of the oversubscription criteria as listed in this policy.

In all cases parent(s)/guardian(s) will be invited to state up to a maximum of three preferences.  An offer will be made at the school listed as the highest preference possible which has an available place.

If a child is offered a place at any VC or C school, then the place must accepted or declined within 10 working days of the date of offer. 

If a child is offered a place at any VC or C school and the parent(s)/guardian(s) accept the place, it must be taken up within 28 working days of the required admissions date stated on the original application form.  Should the place not be taken up within the 28 working days, the LA will then write to the parents informing them that the place has been withdrawn.

11. Appeals Procedure - In-Year Transfer Applications

Parents have a right of appeal to an independent panel against any decision made by or on behalf of the Admissions Authority as to the school which education is to be provided for their child.

All appeals will be heard in accordance with the timescales which have been determined and are explained in the School Admissions Appeals Code.

Information about the appeal procedure will be provided where a place at one or more of the preferred schools has been refused.  Parents should visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk or contact the Customer Services Team (01225 713010) to obtain an appeals form which should be returned to the Democratic and Members Service team (D&M) at County Hall, Trowbridge.  The clerk to the appeals panel will be provided by the D&M Service team.

Parents who have appealed unsuccessfully can reapply for a place at the same school in a later academic year and have a right of appeal if unsuccessful.

Where there have been material changes in circumstances in the same academic year and a repeat application is considered and again refused, the parents will have the right to a fresh appeal.

Please note appeals are only heard in term time.

12. Proof of address

The LA reserves the right to ask parents for proof of their address. If the parents' current address is different to that held on the Local Authority's Council Tax system, the LA may ask parents to provide proof of the new address if one is indicated. Acceptable proof of address includes;

A formal exchange of contracts or a signed solicitor's letter or email stating contracts have been exchanged and specifying a completion date or a signed and dated tenancy agreement of a minimum of six months.

If parents fail to provide proof of a new address, the LA will use the old address for admission purposes. The LA reserves the right to check that parents are living in the address indicated on the application form.  If parents are not living there, the application will be investigated and the allocated place may be withdrawn.

13. Fair Access Protocol

All Wiltshire Schools will act in accordance with the Fair Access Protocol.

Further information on the In Year Fair Access Protocol including further can be viewed at Home.

Published Admission Numbers (PANs)

The Local Authority is consulting on publishing a PAN lower than the net capacity of the school, for the following schools.