Admissions
Joining Our Schools
We hope our website will give you a clear understanding of The Village Saints Partnership - our ethos, vision and aims, together with details of the curriculum and the day to day running of the school.
Of course, this is no substitute for experiencing the 'feel' of a school. It is hard to convey the vibrant atmosphere we have at The Village Saints Partnership, and to experience the sights and sounds of happy children being supported in their learning by our committed and inspirational teaching team 'virtually'.
If you are considering applying for a place at our school, we welcome informal visits prior to any formal application so that you may have a full appreciation of what we have to offer your child. Children are welcome to accompany you on your visit.
Please contact us to arrange a suitable time.
How Places Are Offered
The admission arrangements for The Village Saints Partnership for the current academic year and for subsequent years are set out below.
The Village Saints have an agreed admission number of pupils in the Reception year and nursery (where full-time equivalent places will be available in the nursery). Places in the nursery school (St Martin at Shouldham) may be full time or organised on a part-time basis (mornings and afternoons). Details will be provided on the school website and may vary from time to time. Sufficient notice of arrangements will be given prior to annual application.
The Village Saints Partnership may set a higher or lower admission number than its Published Admission Number (PAN) for any specific year. Before making any change to the agreed admission number, or a permanent change to its PAN, The Village Saints Partnership will, in accordance with the provisions of the School Admissions Code 2014, notify the LA of the consent to such an arrangement of the DEMAT board and the headteacher supported by the LGB. Where it is proposed to have a lower admission number The Village Saints Partnership will consult as required by paragraphs 1.3 and 1.42 of the School Admissions Code.
In accordance with its funding agreement, The Village Saints Partnership will also seek the consent of the Secretary of State to any permanent change to its PAN.
Over-subscription Criteria
Where the school is named on a pupil’s Statement of Special Educational Needs or Education and Health Care Plan, that child will be admitted by the school. If the number of applications for admission to the nursery or primary school is greater than the PAN, applications will be considered against the criteria and order set out below:
1) Looked After Children and Children who have been previously looked after (pursuant to the Admissions Code) Previously looked after children are children who were looked after, but ceased to be so because they: -Were adopted under the Adoption Act 1976 or the Adoption and Children Act 2002, or -Became subject to a child arrangements order, or -Became subject to a special guardianship order This includes children who appear to have been in state care outside of England and have ceased to be in state care due to being adopted.
2) Children who at the time of the admission have a sibling who attends the school. For this purpose, “sibling” means a whole, half or step-brother or -sister or an adopted child resident at the same address. In respect of applications to the primary school, the fact that an applicant has a sibling attending the nursery school will not be a factor giving rise to priority.
3) Children of staff at the school where there is a demonstrable skill shortage – Children of members of staff will have priority in the oversubscription criteria if the staff member is filling a post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage. DEMAT is required to approve the headteachers’ designation of such posts and confirm the assessment that a member of staff appointed meets the requirements of the shortage. Priority will be limited to one place for each form of entry in any year.
4) Distance measurement – A child’s home will be the address at which the child normally resides, and which has been notified to the school and other relevant agencies as being the child’s normal place of residence.
a) In those cases where the relevant LA measures distance on behalf of DEMAT, the method they adopt for measurement and also selection between equal applicants and those living in flats will apply.
b) In those cases where DEMAT is required to carry out the measurement itself, priority will be given to those children who live closest to the school using a straight-line measurement taken from Ordnance Survey Data from the school building’s main reception to the main entrance of the child’s home.
Where a child resides in a block of 5 flats, the distance will be measured from the school building’s main reception to the main entrance of the building in which the flats are located.
“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) at the time of making an application to a school.” (footnote 16 of the School Admissions Code 2014). A previously looked after child “includes children who were adopted under the Adoption Act 1976 and children who were adopted under the Adoption and Children’s Act 2002.”
If DEMAT is unable to distinguish between applicants using the published criteria, including those who live in blocks of flats with the same building entrance, places will be offered via a random draw which will be supervised by someone independent of the school. Note: In the case of multiple births or brothers and sisters in the same year group, where there is only one place available in the school, both will be considered together as one application.
Reserve Lists
Subject to any provisions regarding waiting lists in the LA’s co-ordinated admission scheme, the school will operate a waiting list. Where in any year the school receives more applications for places than there are places available, a waiting list will operate until the end of that term.
A child’s position on the waiting list will be determined solely in accordance with the oversubscription criteria set out above. When places become vacant they will be allocated to children on the waiting list in accordance with the oversubscription criteria.
If A Place Opens Up
Parents will be contacted immediately if a place becomes available for their child, but should be aware that their child’s place on a reserve list may change if an application is subsequently received that meets a higher criterion than their own.
The governing body then manages the reserve list until the end of the autumn term.
Mid-Phase Applications
Where mid-phase applications are received, children’s details will be automatically placed on a reserve list for the year group, ranked according to the oversubscription criteria.
Reserve lists will be held for a period of one term following the term for which the place was refused.
Appeals
The parent of any child who is refused a place has a right of appeal to an independent Appeals Panel. The panel consists of three people who are independent of the school’s Governing Body and the Local Education Authority.
The panel will consider the circumstances of the case put before them and the Governing Body and parents must abide by the decision it makes.
Appeals for are currently arranged by the LA Admissions Team on behalf of the Governing Body. Further information and appeal forms are available from the Admissions Team.
Definitions
For the purpose of admission to the school, the Governing Body has adopted the LA’s definitions of parent, sibling and home address. Details of these can be found at the back of the LA’s admission booklet for parents.