Nursery/Reception admissions criteria
Please note: these criteria apply to community and voluntary controlled schools only. Please consult the admissions booklet for criteria for voluntary aided schools.
As far as possible the Admissions and Exclusions Team will try to offer your child a place at your preferred school.
Places in schools are limited by the physical space in the school. Each school has an admission number which is based on the size of the school. If the number of pupils requiring places is more than the admission number then not every child will be successful in getting a place. This is what we mean when a school is said to be ‘oversubscribed’.
If the school is oversubscribed the places will be allocated using the following admission criteria:
- Looked After Children.
- Children in Need - as defined by the Children Act (1989) i.e. those who are unlikely to achieve or maintain or have the opportunity of achieving or maintaining a reasonable standard of health or development or a child/children whose health or development would be further impaired without the provision of services of the Local Authority. Applications under this criterion would need to be supported by an appropriate professional stating that attendance at a particular school is essential.
- Medical reasons. If claiming medical reasons, parents/carers must provide evidence from the doctor that the child has a medical condition which means that admission to a particular school is essential.
- Older brother or sister in attendance at the school at the date when the pupil is to be admitted. This includes step-children and foster children living with the same family at the same address. Other children may be considered under the sibling criterion provided proof is available to demonstrate that the children are permanently resident at the same address as part of the same family unit. The authority accepts that in some family units children may not be natural brother or sister.
- Distance from the school. Priority is given to children who live nearest the school. This will be measures in a straight line (as the crow flies) from the centre point of the child's permanent home address to the centre point of the preferred school using the local authority computer system. Those children who live closest to the school will be those who get priority for places.
Oversubscription
When allocating places for children in criterion two to five it is possible that the school’s admission number will be reached before all the children in that criterion have been allocated places.
If that happens all of the children in that criterion (but not children in higher criteria whose places will be assured) will be ranked according to distance from the school. Children who live nearest to the school (measured on a straight line distance from the school) will take up places until the admission number has been reached.
Length of time on a waiting list is not seen as a relevant factor.
No child can automatically transfer from nursery to a reception class. Where a school has more applications than places available in the reception class, they must be allocated using the published admission criteria. Children who have attended the nursery will be considered on the same basis as those who have not.
Nursery places
Priority for places will be given to children resident within the Local Authority of Salford. This includes all children whose parents pay their Council Tax to Salford City Council. If places are still available, then these will then be given to children outside of the Local Authority of Salford (whose parents pay council tax to another local authority/council).
Salford City Council’s policy states that parent/carers will not be allowed to take two part-time nursery places for their child, thus limiting the number of places available.
Allocation of full or part-time places in nursery classes
Some schools allocate full and part-time places in the nursery class. This decision is the responsibility of the governing body who should be able to justify to a parent the reason for the decision i.e. full-time places are given to the older pupils first.
No places will be allocated in nursery classes to children who have not reached the age of three by 1 September in the admission year.
Verification of address
Because of problems in the past, the Admission and Exclusions Team will ask you to provide proof of your address. When your child is offered a school place you will be asked to provide proof of address to the school along with your acceptance of the place. You will be issued with a list of acceptable forms of proof which may include such things as:
- Council Tax bill
- Rental/tenancy agreement
- Recent Child Benefit papers
- Copy of completion papers in the case of a recent house purchase
The evidence you provide should be dated in the last three months.
Your address is considered to be where your child is normally and regularly living at the time of deciding places. If your child is living with friends or relatives for reasons other than guardianship, then we cannot use that address at the time of allocating places.
The local authority may consider a child’s temporary address (where, for example, they may be living in temporary accommodation due to their parents working commitments whilst they are seeking a permanent address in the same area) at its discretion.
If your main address has changed temporarily (for example, if you live with extended family during illness or you take up temporary accommodation because of building work) than your address counts as the one you were at before moving to the temporary residence.
You must notify us as soon as possible if there is any permanent change in address.
It may be necessary for a home visit from a member of a Locality Team to prove that you live at the address.
Please note: strong action will be taken if a false address or misleading information is given and the school place your child is offered may be withdrawn.
Who to contact
Admissions and Exclusions
Children's Services
Second Floor
Unity House
Salford Civic Centre
Chorley Road
Swinton
M27 5AW
Telephone: 0161 909 6508
Email: school.admissions@salford.gov.uk
Who to contact
- Name
- Admissions and Exclusions
- Address
- Children's Services
2nd Floor
Unity House
Salford Civic Centre
Chorley Road
Swinton
M27 5AW
Map to this location - Telephone
- 0161 909 6508
- school.admissions@salford.gov.uk
This page was last updated on 21 July 2011
