Application Procedure
The arrangements for co-ordinated admissions in Medway will be set out in detail on the Medway Council website. Children reach compulsory school age at the start of the term following their fifth birthday. High Halstow Primary Academy will admit four year olds into its Reception Class. The children due to be admitted during the 2024/2025 academic year are those born between 1 September 2020 and 31August 2021.
NB: Parents have the right to defer entry until the start of Term 3 or after the child’s 5th birthday, if they so wish.
Parents who wish to apply for admission to the Academy should do so online at the following address: www.medway.gov.uk/onlineadmissions If parents prefer to complete a paper application form, they should contact the Student Services Admissions Team at Medway Council.
Depending on the method of application, offers of places will be emailed or posted to parents by Medway Council on behalf of the Academy as stated on the Medway website. Parents must accept/refuse the place by the agreed date.
The planned admission number is 30 pupils.
Oversubscription Criteria
Following the admission of children with a SEN or Education Health Care Plan, if the number of preferences received via the co-ordinated scheme is more than 30, places will be offered in the following priority order:
- a) Looked after children (children in public care) and previously looked after children.
b) Children previously in Care outside of England – Children who appear to Medway Council to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted. A child is regarded as having been in state care in a place outside of England if they were accommodated by a public authority, a religious organisation or any other provider of care whose sole purpose is to benefit society. (Parents who believe that they qualify under criterion 1B are advised to send evidence at the time of application directly to the Admissions Team, who will decide if they qualify. The local authority will then inform all preferred schools of the outcome of the decision at the same time that rank lists are made available). - Current family association – brother or sister at school at the time of admission. The definition of this includes stepbrothers and sisters and children living as a family unit.
- Child’s health reasons – medical evidence must be provided which demonstrates a specific health reason that requires a child to attend the preferred school
- Children of staff employed by the Academy following the criterion above, priority will be given to the child of a person who is employed by the Academy for 2 or more years at the time when an application to the academy is made and/or a member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post in the academy for which there is a demonstrable skills shortage for the requirements of the post.
- Nearness of children’s homes to the school. Distance will be measured in accordance with Medway Council’s criteria. If a child has more than one permanent home address, the nearest will be used for admission purposes.
Note Tie Breaker: In the unlikely event that two or more children in all other ways have equal eligibility for the last available place at the Academy, the names will be issued a number and drawn randomly to decide which child should be given a place.
Casual Admissions (In-Year)
If you wish to apply for a place at High Halstow Primary Academy, an Application Form will need to be downloaded and completed. The completed form should be returned to the Office Manager at High Halstow Primary Academy.
Casual Admissions when transferring schools without moving home
If a parent wishes to transfer their child from another school without moving home, the Principal will contact the child’s current school to ascertain the situation so that our academy is able to offer the correct support should the child be offered a place. It is also expected that the parent/carer of the child, along with the child themselves when appropriate, visit our academy and meet with the Principal before any place will be offered.
Waiting Lists
If there are no spaces in the year group requested and you wish your child to be placed on a waiting list, please complete the Waiting List Request Form. The completed form should be returned to the Office Manager at High Halstow Primary Academy.
A child’s position on the waiting list will be determined solely in accordance with the oversubscription criteria set out above. Where places become vacant pupils on the waiting list will be contacted in accordance with the oversubscription criteria.
Appeals
Parents/Carers have the right to appeal if a place is not offered to their child. Appeals will be handled in line with the School Admissions Appeals Code and the policy on admission appeals. Class sizing in EYFS & KS1 is limited by Infant Sizing Legislation to 30 pupils per class.
If you wish to appeal a decision please complete the Admission Appeal Request Form. The completed form should be returned to the Office Manager at High Halstow Primary Academy.