LIVE - Admissions-Policy-2024-25
Co-op Academy
Smithies Moor
2024- 2025
Admissions Policy
Admissions
At The Co-op Academy Smithies Moor, we still adhere to the procedures and policies of the Local Authority ((Kirklees) in respect of admissions with the exception that for in-year admissions to the academy, the In-year Common Application Form (ICAF) needs to be brought to the academy for processing.
Within the Foundation Stage and Key Stage one phases of the academy (reception, years 1 and 2) there is a constraint of 30 pupils per class. This is a government regulation and in order to comply with this legislation, there is no guarantee that we can offer a place to any child. We offer places in the following order of priority:
Priority 1: children in public care (looked after children) and children previously looked after.
Priority 2: children who live in the academy’s Priority Admission Area (PAA) who have a brother or sister attending the academy from the same address at the date of admission (the sibling rule).
Priority 3: children who live in the academy’s PAA.
Priority 4: children who live outside the academy’s PAA who have a brother or sister attending the academy from the same address at the date of admission (the sibling rule). Priority 5: children who live outside the academy's PAA.
The academy will admit children with statements of special educational needs or education, health and care plans where the statement/plan names the academy.
If there are more applicants than places we will use the above criteria to determine who will be offered a place.
Admission to the Foundation Stage (nursery)
Nursery part time education is available at present for up to 26 children for either a morning, afternoon sessions or full time. We hope to offer children at least three term’s part time education before starting in full time schooling. A full 30 hour per week provision is also available.This will depend on the demand for places. Priority admission is normally based on the child’s date of birth but additional priority may be given to children with special educational and social needs. Any parent who wishes to enroll their child for a place in Foundation Stage, is very welcome to visit the academy at any time. Staff will be pleased to talk to them and show them around. When your child is due to start part-time education, two members of our nursery team will visit you at home. They will also invite you to visit Foundation Stage with your child and a meeting will be held for parents to find out what happens in Foundation Stage. How quickly children settle varies from child to child. We may therefore ask that you, or someone your child knows well, stay with them until he or she feels comfortable and relaxed. This is usually a day or two, but may take longer.
Nursery Entry Dates – early entitlement
Your child may access a place from the term after their 3rd birthday.
Entitlement
If your child’s 3rd birthday falls he or she is entitled to a free place from
1 January and 31 March | 1 April (or the start of the summer term) |
1 April and 31 August | 1 September (or the start of the autumn term) |
1 September and 31 December | 1 January (or the start of the spring term) |
Admission to Reception
In Kirklees children start school according to the date of their fifth birthday.
Important –
Is your child at our academy nursery?
• A place in a school or academy nursery does not give you a place in the Reception class at a school.
• Children who attend the academy’s nursery do not receive guaranteed places or a higher priority for places in the academy.
You must make a separate application for a place in a reception class.
All children can start full time school in the September following their fourth birthday:
If you child was born between: | Date your child can start school |
1 September 2019 and 31 August 2020 | September 2024 |
1 September 2020 and 31 August 2021 September 2025 |
Children may be able to start school later in the school year, or request to attend part time, until they reach "statutory school age" which is the beginning of the term following their fifth birthday.
If you child was born between: | Date your child can start school |
1 September and 31 December | They can wait to start full time school or request to attend part time until the start of the Spring term (January) |
1 January and 31 March | They can wait to start full time school or request to attend part time until the start of the Summer term (April) |
1 April and 31 August (knows as 'Summer born') | Can wait to start full time school or request to attend part time until the start of the Summer term (April). OR Wait to start full time school until the start of the Autumn term (September) the following year - but the allocated place for Reception is not kept open and parents have to re-apply for a place in Year 1 or reception for the following September. Please contact Kirklees Admissions for further guidance. |
• You must apply online for a reception place by the closing date, no matter when your child will start reception during the school year
• Once your child has been offered a place, the academy must hold the place for your child during the same academic year and not offer it to another child
• Parents should contact their child's allocated school after places have been allocated to discuss any requests to start later in the year or to attend on a part time basis
• For 'Summer born' children, you may feel that your child's needs are such that they would benefit from starting school a year later, please contact Kirklees Admissions for further advice and guidance
Date of Birth | Apply Before | Offered a Place | Academy Entry |
01/09/2019 – 31/08/2020 | 15 January 2024 | April 2024 | September 2024 |
01/09/2021 – 31/08/2022 | 15 January 2025 | April 2025 | September 2025 |
01/09/2022 – 31/08/2023 | 15 January 2026 | April 2026 | September 2026 |
01/09/2023 – 31/08/2024 | 15 January 2027 | April 2027 | September 2027 |
01/09/2025 – 31/08/2026 | 15 January 2028 | April 2028 | September 2028 |
In-year admissions
An In-year admission is when one of the following applies:
• Parents or carers who have moved into Kirklees and do not have a school place for their child.
• Parents or carers who are moving within Kirklees and whose child already has a school place but the current school is too far from the new home
• Parents or carers who live in Kirklees and are not moving house but would like to change their child's school
To make an application for an in-year admission you will need to complete the ‘In Year Common Application Form’ (ICAF). This along with other guidance can be found on the Kirklees Council Admissions Information website. The ICAF has to be brought to the academy for processing.
The Kirklees In-Year Fair Access Protocol
• All local authorities have an In-Year Fair Access Protocol, which exists to ensure that unplaced children, especially the most vulnerable, are offered a place at a suitable school as quickly as possible.
• The Fair Access Protocol also ensures that all schools in the authority admit their fair share of children with challenging behaviour. This includes admitting children above the published admission number to schools that are already full. • All Kirklees schools participate in the protocol, which provides a safety net for those children for whom the normal admission arrangements are not appropriate.
The Co-op Academy Smithies Moor Published Admissions Numbers (PAN) for 2024-25 are
Reception 30
Year 1 30
Year 2 30
Year 3 30
Year 4 30
Year 5 30
Year 6 30
Visiting the Academy
New Entrants
The parents of new entrants of the Foundation Stage are invited to meet the Head of Academy and/or the Pastoral team, during the term prior to admission. This will enable discussion about the arrangements for your child’s admission.
Open evenings
Open evenings are arranged for parents three times a year to discuss the progress of your children with their class teacher.
Meetings
Meetings for parents are held throughout the year on a variety of topics.
Informal Visits
We are happy to see parents to answer questions and supply information on life at the academy. Any matter pertaining to the welfare and education of the children can be discussed. If parents prefer to make an appointment at a particular time this can be arranged. Visits around the academy can be arranged on request, however if staff are available at the time this can be immediate.
Appeals timetable
Appeal type | Appeals received by | Appeals will be heard by |
Starting school for the first time | Friday 17 May 2024 | Friday 19 July 2024 |
Appeals submitted after these deadlines will be heard within 40 school days from the deadline for lodging appeals where possible, or within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged, this may not be before the end of the academic year. You will receive at least 10 school days' notice of your appeal hearing.
Please ensure any additional evidence you wish to submit in support of your appeal is received by the Pupil Admissions Team at least four working days before your appeal. Any material not submitted by the specified deadline may not be considered by the Independent Appeals Panel.
You must also let us know if you intend to call any witnesses or be represented at the appeal hearing.
Appeal hearing
The clerk of the appeal panel will write to you about the appeal hearing and explain the procedures. An independent appeal panel hears appeals. It is made up of three people, including:
• At least one 'lay' member (a member of the public with no specialist education experience)
• At least one 'independent' person who has experience in education and who is familiar with educational conditions in our area or who is a parent of a registered pupil at a school.
•
In-year admission appeals
Appeals against a decision in any other year groups will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal being received by the Local Authority.
You will receive notification in writing of the date, time and venue of your appeal 10 school days before the hearing.
You will receive full appeal papers including the admission authority case and your submissions prior to the appeal hearing (approximately one week before). Decision letters will be sent within five school days of the hearing. School days are term time only. If an appeal is submitted in the holidays, the 30 school days starts from the beginning of a new term
We will, however, try to hear it as soon as possible.