ALBAN C OF E MIDDLE SCHOOL ADMISSIONS POLICY
(with effect from September 2009)

 Admissions Policy September 2010

 Admissions Policy September 2011

Alban Middle School is a 480 place Church of England Middle School catering for pupils between the ages of 9 and 13.  The Governors will admit up to the Admission Number of 120 pupils in any one year.

The Governing Body, as the admission authority, determines the school's admission policy and arrangements and is responsible for taking decisions on applications for admission.  The Governing Body works with the Local Authority in order to ensure admissions are co-ordinated within the County.

Method of Allocating Places: - Equal Preference Method

Each preference is treated equally and the priority for a place at the school is worked out using the admissions criteria.  This will mean that some second and third preference applications may be ranked higher than some first preference applications according to the admission criteria for the school.  Pupils with a Statement of Special Education Need[1] that name the school have overriding priority for admission to the school.

Should the number of applications for admission exceed 120; the Governors/Local Authority will apply the following criteria (in the rank shown) to decide the order in which places will be allocated.  This will also apply to waiting lists.  The Local Authority will keep a waiting list on behalf of the School for the normal-round of admissions.  This waiting list will be kept for a period of six weeks after the start of the Autumn Term up to the beginning of the October half-term holiday.

1. All 'looked after' children[2].
   
   
2. Children living within the catchment area[3].  (See Note A below)
   
   
3. The siblings[4] of children attending Alban.
   
   
4. Children with one or more parents/carers who attend a Church of England church on a regular basis.  (See Notes B and C below)
   
   
5. Children that attend one of the feeder lower schools, but who live outside the catchment area.  (See Note D below)
   
   
6. Children whose immediate families are practising Christians, other than the Church of England, who live outside the agreed catchment area.  (See Notes B, C and E below)
   
   
7. Any other children.

[1] Overriding priority will be given to the admission of the pupils who have a Statement of Special Educational Needs which names the school, provided that the school can meet the individual needs of the child. This will include the admission of pupils in accordance with the In-Year Fair Access Protocol. There may be occasions when the Governors are requested to provide a place on social, medical or educational grounds. In such cases an offer of a place will be considered following the submission of supporting professional evidence.In light of the current guidance on the inclusion agenda, this claim is only a viable application for the child if including this pupil is not to the detriment of the majority of the cohort’s needs.

[2] Defined by the Children Act 1989 as a child who is accommodated by the local authority (Section 20) or a child who is subject to a full Care Order (Section 38) or interim Care Order (Section 31).

[3] The address of the parent(s) or carer(s) with whom the child normally lives and spends the majority of the school week (Mondays to Fridays) including nights. This will not usually include other relatives and if there is a query this will be checked against official documentation with proof of address.

[4] A sibling is defined as a brother or sister or any other child who permanently resides at the same address and for whom the applicant has parental responsibility.  That sibling must be in the school at the time of application and be likely to remain in the school at the proposed date of admission.

Note A		The agreed designated catchment area covers the civil parishes of Blunham, Colmworth, Great Barford, Little Barford, Moggerhanger, Ravensden, Renhold, Roxton, Staploe, Tempsford, Wilden and Willington.
Note B		For the purposes of this policy a 'practising member/Christian' is one who, for a period of six months before the application, has regularly attended the church or religious meeting-place.
Note C		Applicants applying under Categories 4 and 6 will be required to produce written evidence of attendance from their parish priest/appropriate minister/faith leader.  There is a relevant section on the LA’s application form for this purpose.
Note D		Feeder Lower Schools are defined as those within catchment ie. Great Barford, John Donne Blunham, Moggerhanger, Ravensden, Renhold, Roxton, Wilden and Willington.
Note E		For the purposes of the policy Christians, other than the Church of England' are those members of a church which belongs to Churches Together in Great Britain and Ireland and/or The Evangelical Alliance.

In the event of there being an over subscription in any one of the above categories, the determining factor in that category will be the geographical proximity to the school as defined below:

Geographical proximity will be determined as the shortest distance measured in a straight line from the front of the home to the main entrance of the school (using a computerised mapping system).  Those living closer to the school as determined by this process will be accorded higher priority.

In accordance with the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice 2001 and the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Act 2001 the school will not discriminate unreasonably against disabled applicants.  Pupils with Special Educational Needs but without statements will be treated as fairly as all other applicants for admission.  However, there are no specialisms and there is no unit attached to the school.  Modifications to the school building include: wheelchair access via ramps, some widened doors and toilet facilities for the disabled.

In the case of older pupils who apply to join the school, admission will be on the basis of places being available in the relevant year group.  If there are more applicants than places available, then the above admissions policy will apply.

Admission Appeals
Any parent (except, temporarily, the parent of a child who has been permanently excluded from two schools) who is refused a school place for which they have applied, has the right to appeal to an independent appeal panel. The panel is independent of the Governing Body and the Local Authority Admissions Team. Further details regarding the law on admissions and appeals can be obtained from the Local Authority Admissions Team. Should the appeal panel find in favour of the parent, the decision is binding on the school. The panel will consist of people who have experience in education and acquainted with the area.