Admissions Policy

Applications are welcomed from parents of children for admission to:-

• Nursery class: in the September prior to the child attaining 4 years of age
• School: in the September prior to the child attaining 5 years of age.

Nursery Class

Allocation of places for the Nursery Class are determined by the Headteacher on the basis of:

1. Children in Care of a Local Authority (Looked After Children) 
2. Sibling priority, that is children who have an older brother or sister
   attending the school. 
3. Proximity and ease of access to the school.

See detailed Nursery Admissions Policy (amended Jan 2016)

School - Please contact Rochdale LA to find out about admission arrangements

If the number of applications for a community school is greater than the number of places available (PAN), the school is oversubscribed. This means that the number of places has to be limited and the LA will use the following admission criteria when offering places.

Admission Criteria

(i) Children in care to the Local Education Authority (Looked After Children)

Priority can be claimed under this criteria if:

• A child is living in a residential home under the care of Rochdale MBC
• A child is living with foster parents in the Borough of Rochdale
• A child is living with his/her parents in the Borough of Rochdale and is subject
  to a care order.

(ii) Medical/Psychological

If you consider that there are strong medical/psychological reasons for your child to attend a particular school you must attach a medical certificate/letter from your child’s own doctor to the Common Application Form at the time of application.

• On receipt of the medical certificate/letter, the case will be referred to either the Consultant Community Paediatrician or the Principal Educational Psychologist for their professional advice. This is because evidence is required to show that admission to the particular school is essential.
• Following receipt of the professional advice, a place will only be allocated under these criteria if there is firm evidence to show that the child’s needs can only be met at the school to which the parent is applying.
• You should note that providing evidence does not automatically mean that a place will be allocated under this criterion.
• You should provide any appropriate evidence at the time of application. If medical grounds are claimed after the allocations procedure has been completed, it might not be possible to allocate a place using this priority.

(iii) Sibling Priority

• A sibling is either a brother or sister or a step-brother or step-sister living at the same address, but not a cousin or other relative.
• You may claim this priority if your child has an older brother or sister who will be in attendance at the school in September 2018

Proximity and Ease of Access

Once places have been allocated using criteria i, ii and iii, any remaining places are allocated to pupils on the basis of their relative proximity and ease of access to the school but also to other schools nearby.

Proximity is not deemed to be a simple measurement of distance radiating out from the school either as the crow flies or as a walking route. It is moderated by the principle of ease of access, which takes account of relative distance to schools as a whole and means those living furthest from an alternative school will have priority.

Inevitably, a decision can come down to a distance of a few metres, but it is this kind of measurement which is required to make an objective decision.

It should be noted that in looking at ease of access, bus routes are not used. Nationally, walking distance for secondary aged pupils is deemed to be up to three miles, so there is an assumption that up to this distance the journey can be on foot. Walking routes are deemed to be along recognised lit, paved routes which, in general, are overlooked by houses and as such are likely to be relatively safe to walk. Unlit, unmade-up short cuts are not taken into account in calculating walking distances.

Walking distances are measured using SCANA, which is a computerised application that utilises Mapinfo Professional® to calculate walking distances based on Ordnance Survey Maps. 

Applications for Reception class should be made through the Schools Admissions section of the Rochdale Metroplitan Borough Council website