Rationale

Stoke Primary School is committed to providing a fair, transparent and inclusive approach to admissions to our Early Years provision. This policy sets out the arrangements for applying for and allocating places within our nursery provision and ensures that admissions decisions are made consistently and fairly.

Stoke Primary School is responsible for determining the admission arrangements for its nursery provision. Places are allocated in accordance with the criteria set out within this policy, taking account of the availability of places, the needs of children and families, and relevant statutory requirements and local authority guidance.

For the purposes of this policy, Stoke Primary School nursery provision includes:

• The Meadow:provision for children from the term following their second birthday until the beginning of their pre-school year
• Caterpillar:provision for children in the academic year before they are due to start Reception

Admission to either provision does not guarantee, or give priority for, admission to Reception at Stoke Primary School. Reception admissions are administered separately through Coventry City Council.

Organisation

Stoke Primary School provides nursery provision through The Meadow, for children from the term following their second birthday until the beginning of their pre-school year, and Caterpillar, for children in the academic year before they are due to start Reception.

The Meadow offers up to 15 places in each session, providing 15 morning and 15 afternoon places. Full day attendance may be offered where funding eligibility and the availability of places allow.

Caterpillar offers up to 30 places in each session, providing 30 morning and 30 afternoon places. Up to 15 children may access full day provision where eligible and places are available. As a child attending for the full day occupies a place in both the morning and afternoon sessions, the total number of individual children within the Caterpillar cohort will vary according to the pattern of places allocated.

Morning sessions run from 8:30am to 11:30am and afternoon sessions run from 12.15pm to 3.15pm.

Children are expected to attend their allocated sessions regularly and for the full session, following any initial settling in arrangements agreed to support the individual child.

All children within The Meadow and Caterpillar follow the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum.

Parents and carers must inform the school of any other early years provision their child attends and provide the information required for the school to administer Early Education Entitlement funding correctly. Where a child's funded entitlement is shared between more than one provider, funded hours will be claimed in accordance with the applicable funding arrangements and parental declaration.

Admissions

Parents and carers may apply for a place within our nursery provision at any time by completing the school's nursery application form. Applications include the child's name, address and date of birth, parent or carer contact details, sibling information and preferred session.

Parents and carers are responsible for ensuring that the information provided to the school is accurate and for informing the school of any subsequent changes to their contact details or circumstances. Application information is stored securely and managed in accordance with the school's data protection procedures.

Where there are more applications than available places, places will be allocated in accordance with the oversubscription criteria set out within this policy.

Places for children joining the September cohort are allocated from May onwards. Where there are more applications than available places, the oversubscription criteria within this policy will be applied. Applications received after the initial allocation of places will continue to be considered in accordance with these criteria and subject to the availability of places.

The Meadow: provision prior to the pre-school year

Children may be admitted to The Meadow from the term following their second birthday, subject to eligibility for funded early education and the availability of places.

Children aged 2 may access The Meadow through the working parent entitlement, where eligible, or through targeted funding for eligible 2-year-olds. The number of funded hours available will depend upon the child's eligibility.

Where a child is not eligible for funded early education at age 2, they may become eligible for a place from the term following their third birthday through the universal 15-hour entitlement for 3- and 4-year-olds, provided they have not yet entered their pre-school year.

Parents and carers are required to provide the information necessary for the school to confirm their child's eligibility and funding arrangements.

Children remain within The Meadow until the end of the academic year before they enter their pre-school year.

Caterpillar: pre-school provision

Caterpillar operates as a pre-school year group, with children joining in September of the academic year before they are due to start Reception.

All children within Caterpillar are eligible for the universal 15-hour entitlement for 3- and 4-year-olds. Children may access additional funded hours through the working parent entitlement where eligible.

Children remain within Caterpillar for the academic year before progressing to Reception the following September.

Applications received after the beginning of the academic year may be considered where places are available. Where there are more applications than available places, the oversubscription criteria within this policy will apply.

Admissions Criteria

Where there are more applications than available places, places within The Meadow and Caterpillar will be allocated according to the following criteria, in priority order. The same criteria will be applied when places become available during the academic year.

1. Looked after and previously looked after children, including children who were previously looked after and ceased to be so because they were adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order, and children who appear to have been in state care outside England and ceased to be in state care as a result of adoption.

1. Children with identified vulnerability or significant social need, where this is supported by Children's Social Care or another relevant professional.

1. Children living within the school catchment area who have a sibling attending Stoke Primary School at the time the child is due to take up their nursery place.\

1. Other children living within the school catchment area.

1. Children living outside the school catchment area who have a sibling attending Stoke Primary School at the time the child is due to take up their nursery place.

1. Other children, with priority determined by distance from the child's home address to the school.

For the purposes of this policy, a sibling includes a brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, adopted brother or sister, stepbrother or stepsister of the child.

Where more than one child meets the same criterion and there are insufficient places available, priority will be determined by distance from the child's home address to the school, with the child living closest to the school given priority. Distance will be measured in accordance with Coventry City Council's current school admissions distance measurement arrangements.

Parents and carers will be contacted when a place is available and asked to confirm whether they wish to accept it. Offers will be made in writing and must be accepted by the date specified.

Where an offer is not accepted within the stated timeframe, the school may withdraw the offer and make the place available to another child.

Where an application is unsuccessful because no place is available, parents and carers will be informed, and the child's name may be retained on the waiting list. Places that subsequently become available will be allocated in accordance with the admissions criteria above rather than according to the length of time a child has been on the waiting list.

Admission to The Meadow or Caterpillar does not give a child preference or priority for admission to Reception at Stoke Primary School. Parents and carers must make a separate application for a Reception place through Coventry City Council in accordance with the Local Authority's primary admissions arrangements. Attendance at The Meadow or Caterpillar does not form part of the admissions criteria for Reception.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

Stoke Primary School is committed to ensuring that children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are able to access and participate fully in our Early Years provision.

Where a child has identified additional needs, or where concerns about a child's development emerge, practitioners will work in partnership with parents and carers, the school SENCO and other relevant professionals as appropriate. Information will be shared before admission wherever possible to support effective transition and enable appropriate provision and reasonable adjustments to be planned.

The individual needs of each child will be considered throughout the admissions and transition process, with additional transition arrangements put in place where appropriate.

Review of Unsuccessful Applicants 

Where a parent or carer believes that the nursery admissions criteria have not been applied correctly, they may request a review of the decision by writing to the Chair of Governors.

The review will be considered by governors who were not involved in the original allocation of nursery places. The review will consider whether the admissions criteria set out within this policy were applied fairly and consistently to the application.

Parents and carers will be informed in writing of the outcome of the review and the reasons for the decision.

The school will maintain appropriate records of the allocation process to demonstrate that the admissions criteria have been applied consistently. Records will include the priority given to each application, the relevant admissions criterion and whether a place was allocated.

This review process relates specifically to admission to The Meadow and Caterpillar and is separate from the statutory appeals process for admission to compulsory school provision.

Transition and Induction Process 

Stoke Primary School is committed to ensuring that children and families experience a positive and supportive transition into our Early Years provision. Transition arrangements are designed to help children become familiar with the environment, develop relationships with practitioners and support staff to understand each child's individual needs before they begin.

For children joining Caterpillar in September, parents and carers are invited to an information meeting during the summer term. Families are provided with key information about the provision, routines, attendance, transition arrangements and their child's start date.

Children and their parents or carers are invited to attend a stay and play session before starting, providing an opportunity to meet practitioners, explore the environment and begin to develop familiarity with the setting.

Home visits are conducted for all Early Years admissions as part of the transition process. These provide an opportunity for practitioners to meet children within a familiar environment, build relationships with families and gather information that will support each child's transition into the setting.

Parents and carers are required to complete the school's admission documentation and provide appropriate evidence of their child's identity and home address before admission. Any additional information required to support the child's health, wellbeing, safeguarding or individual needs will also be gathered as part of the admissions and transition process.

Children joining in September begin through a staggered transition process, with the aim to begin their first full session as soon as possible. Start arrangements are informed by practitioners' knowledge of individual children and discussions with families, enabling transition to be responsive to children's individual needs rather than determined solely by age or date of birth.

Children joining The Meadow during the academic year are provided with appropriate transition arrangements according to their individual needs and point of entry.

Regular attendance is encouraged from the outset, and the importance of consistent attendance is discussed with parents and carers.

Admission to The Meadow or Caterpillar does not guarantee or give priority for admission to Reception at Stoke Primary School. Applications for Reception are made separately through Coventry City Council.