Co-op Academy  

Smithies Moor

2024- 2025 

Admissions Policy

Admissions 

At The Co-op Academy Smithies Moor, we still adhere to the procedures and  policies of the Local Authority ((Kirklees) in respect of admissions with the exception  that for in-year admissions to the academy, the In-year Common Application Form  (ICAF) needs to be brought to the academy for processing.  

Within the Foundation Stage and Key Stage one phases of the academy (reception,  years 1 and 2) there is a constraint of 30 pupils per class. This is a government  regulation and in order to comply with this legislation, there is no guarantee that we  can offer a place to any child. We offer places in the following order of priority: 

Priority 1: children in public care (looked after children) and children previously looked  after. 

Priority 2: children who live in the academy’s Priority Admission Area (PAA) who have a  brother or sister attending the academy from the same address at the date of admission (the  sibling rule). 

Priority 3: children who live in the academy’s PAA. 

Priority 4: children who live outside the academy’s PAA who have a brother or sister  attending the academy from the same address at the date of admission (the sibling rule). Priority 5: children who live outside the academy's PAA. 

The academy will admit children with statements of special educational needs or  education, health and care plans where the statement/plan names the academy.

If there are more applicants than places we will use the above criteria to determine  who will be offered a place.

Admission to the Foundation Stage  (nursery) 

Nursery part time education is available at present for up to 26 children for either a morning, afternoon sessions or full time. We hope to offer children at least three term’s part time education before starting in full time schooling. A full 30 hour per week provision  is also available.This will depend on the demand for places. Priority admission is  normally based on the child’s date of birth but additional priority may be given to  children with special educational and social needs. Any parent who wishes to enroll  their child for a place in Foundation Stage, is very welcome to visit the academy at  any time. Staff will be pleased to talk to them and show them around. When your child  is due to start part-time education, two members of our nursery team will visit you at  home. They will also invite you to visit Foundation Stage with your child and a meeting  will be held for parents to find out what happens in Foundation Stage. How quickly  children settle varies from child to child. We may therefore ask that you, or someone  your child knows well, stay with them until he or she feels comfortable and relaxed.  This is usually a day or two, but may take longer.

Nursery Entry Dates – early entitlement

Your child may access a place from the term after their 3rd birthday.

Entitlement

If your child’s 3rd birthday falls he or she is entitled to a free place from

Admission to Reception

In Kirklees children start school according to the date of their fifth  birthday.  

Important –

Is your child at our academy nursery?

• A place in a school or academy nursery does not give you a place in the Reception class at a  school.  

• Children who attend the academy’s nursery do not receive guaranteed places or a higher priority  for places in the academy.  

You must make a separate application for a place in a reception class.  

All children can start full time school in the September following their fourth birthday: 

Children may be able to start school later in the school year, or request to attend part  time, until they reach "statutory school age" which is the beginning of the term  following their fifth birthday.

• You must apply online for a reception place by the closing date, no matter  when your child will start reception during the school year

• Once your child has been offered a place, the academy must hold the place  for your child during the same academic year and not offer it to another child

• Parents should contact their child's allocated school after places have been  allocated to discuss any requests to start later in the year or to attend on a  part time basis

• For 'Summer born' children, you may feel that your child's needs are such that  they would benefit from starting school a year later, please contact Kirklees  Admissions for further advice and guidance

In-year admissions

An In-year admission is when one of the following applies:

• Parents or carers who have moved into Kirklees and do not have a school  place for their child.

• Parents or carers who are moving within Kirklees and whose child already has  a school place but the current school is too far from the new home  

• Parents or carers who live in Kirklees and are not moving house but would  like to change their child's school

To make an application for an in-year admission you will need to complete the ‘In Year Common Application Form’ (ICAF). This along with other guidance can be  found on the Kirklees Council Admissions Information website. The ICAF has to be  brought to the academy for processing.  

The Kirklees In-Year Fair Access Protocol  

• All local authorities have an In-Year Fair Access Protocol, which exists to ensure  that unplaced children, especially the most vulnerable, are offered a place at a  suitable school as quickly as possible.  

• The Fair Access Protocol also ensures that all schools in the authority admit their  fair share of children with challenging behaviour. This includes admitting children  above the published admission number to schools that are already full.  • All Kirklees schools participate in the protocol, which provides a safety net for those  children for whom the normal admission arrangements are not appropriate.

The Co-op Academy Smithies Moor Published Admissions Numbers (PAN) for 2024-25 are  

Reception 30

Year 1 30

Year 2 30

Year 3 30

Year 4 30

Year 5 30

Year 6 30

Visiting the Academy

New Entrants

The parents of new entrants of the Foundation Stage are invited to meet the  Head of Academy and/or the Pastoral team, during the term prior to admission. This  will enable discussion about the arrangements for your child’s admission.

Open evenings

Open evenings are arranged for parents three times a year to discuss the progress  of your children with their class teacher.

Meetings

Meetings for parents are held throughout the year on a variety of topics.

Informal Visits

We are happy to see parents to answer questions and supply information on life at  the academy. Any matter pertaining to the welfare and education of the children can  be discussed. If parents prefer to make an appointment at a particular time this can  be arranged. Visits around the academy can be arranged on request, however if staff  are available at the time this can be immediate.

Appeals timetable

Appeals submitted after these deadlines will be heard within 40 school days from the  deadline for lodging appeals where possible, or within 30 school days of the appeal  being lodged, this may not be before the end of the academic year. You will receive  at least 10 school days' notice of your appeal hearing.

Please ensure any additional evidence you wish to submit in support of your appeal  is received by the Pupil Admissions Team at least four working days before your  appeal. Any material not submitted by the specified deadline may not be considered  by the Independent Appeals Panel.

You must also let us know if you intend to call any witnesses or be represented at  the appeal hearing.

Appeal hearing

The clerk of the appeal panel will write to you about the appeal hearing and explain  the procedures. An independent appeal panel hears appeals. It is made up of three  people, including:

• At least one 'lay' member (a member of the public with no specialist education  experience)

• At least one 'independent' person who has experience in education and who  is familiar with educational conditions in our area or who is a parent of a  registered pupil at a school.

•

In-year admission appeals 

Appeals against a decision in any other year groups will be heard within 30 school  days of the appeal being received by the Local Authority. 

You will receive notification in writing of the date, time and venue of your appeal 10  school days before the hearing.

You will receive full appeal papers including the admission authority case and your  submissions prior to the appeal hearing (approximately one week before). Decision letters will be sent within five school days of the hearing. School days are term time only. If an appeal is submitted in the holidays, the 30  school days starts from the beginning of a new term 

We will, however, try to hear it as soon as possible.