Page 18 - Cherry Orchard Prospectus 2015-2016

ADMISSIONS
The Headteacher is happy to show parents considering applying to Cherry Orchard round the school whilst it is in session. Days are set aside for this, but if you cannot make that day individual visits can be arranged if mutually convenient. Any questions that you may have can be answered during these visits, and you will have the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of the school through observing it at work.
We are fortunate that we are a popular school, but this has given rise on some occasions to us not having places available for all who apply. When this is the case we apply the agreed rules for Community Schools as follows.
When there are more applications than places, in a Community or Voluntary Controlled school, children are admitted in the following order of priority:
i) Relevant ‘Looked after’ children
ii) Siblings (see below for definition) of pupils attending the school and living within the catchment area of the school. In order to qualify for a place on the grounds of a sibling attending the school, the sibling must already be attending the school at the time of application and still be attending at the time of admission. Copies of catchment area maps, if required are available from the LA, or can be viewed in schools.
In the event of a school catchment area change being approved, pupils who would still have a sibling connection (see below for definition) at the time of admission and who are living at the same address in the previous catchment area for a school, (but not within the revised catchment area), at the time the change was approved will be considered as living within the catchment area.
iii) Pupils living within the catchment area of the school. Copies of catchment area maps, if required are available from the LA, or can be viewed in schools;
iv) Pupils living outside of the catchment area but who would still have a sibling connection (see below for definition) at school at the time of admission. In order to qualify for a place on the grounds of a sibling attending the school, the sibling must already be attending the school at the time of application and still be attending at the time of admission;
v) Children of staff at the mainstream school, where that member of staff has been employed for two or more years, and/or is recruited to fill a post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage
vi) Pupils who live nearest to the school by the shortest straight line distance. The measurement will be taken using the GeoCode Points for each property and the GeoCode point for the centre of the School. The Local Authority uses a software package called Arcview GIS to determine distance. Ordnance Survey supplies the co-ordinates that are used to plot an address within this system. (In the event of equi-distance applicants, any place will be allocated by random selection (lottery). Someone totally independent of Children’s Services will supervise this process).
In accordance with legislation, a child with a Statement of Special Educational Needs will be offered a place at the school named in the Statement.
Further information available at:
http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/cms/school-information-for-parents/school- admissions/policies-and-appeals/2014-2015-admissions-policies.aspx
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