Reception Admission Information
Admission number and process
The school has an admission number of 60 for entry in Reception.
Applications in the ‘normal round’ (that is the main cycle of applications for Reception places from the beginning of the school year) are administered on behalf of the Springhead Park Primary by Kent County Council as part of the local coordinated scheme.
Oversubscription criteria
When the school is oversubscribed (that is, there are more applications than places available), after the admission of pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan that names the school, priority for admission will be given to those children based on the criteria set out below, in the order shown:
- Children in public care (looked after children) or children who were previously in public care immediately before being adopted or subject to a residence order or special guardianship order.
- Children with a medical need that makes it essential for the child to attend Springhead Park Primary School. Evidence of the medical condition must be submitted at the time of application. An opinion may be sought from a medical adviser before a place is awarded.
- Siblings of children who will be attending Springhead Park Primary at the time the child is due for admission to the school. For this priority, brother or sister includes a full brother or sister, adopted brother or sister, or step/ half brother or sister living at the same address. Twins and triplets (and other in-year sibling groups) will be also accorded this priority.
- Children whose parent or sibling has a medical condition, or where there are significant social or domestic circumstances, that would result in significant hardship if the child did not attend Springhead Park Primary. Evidence must be submitted at the time of application. An opinion may be sought from a medical adviser or other professional before a place is awarded.
- Priority will next be given to the children of staff who have been recruited to fill a skill- shortage area.
- Children living closest to the school, based on the distance measured as a straight line from the home address to the nearest pupil entrance. Measurements will be provided by Kent County Council in accordance with its home to school distance measuring policy.
Tie-breaker
Where the admission number of 60 children is reached part way through one of the above over-subscription criteria, the remaining places available are allocated on proximity to the school; but only after any applications are considered where there is third party evidence (e.g. from a medical specialist or a social worker), provided at the time of the application, setting out the exceptional medical/social need of the child (or their parent/carer) and why only this school, rather than any other, is able to meet that need; the final decision on such applications will be made by the school’s governors.
Late applications
All applications received by the Local Authority after the deadline will be considered to be late applications. These will be considered after those received on time. If all available places are allocated to children whose applications were received on time, parents or carers who have made a late application may request that their child is placed on the school’s waiting list.
Deferred entry for Reception places
Parents/carers offered a place in Reception for their child have a right to defer the date their child takes up the place, or to take the place up part-time, until the child reaches compulsory school age. Children reach compulsory school age on 31 August, 31 December or 31 March – whichever of those three dates follows (or falls on) the child’s 5th birthday.
Places cannot be deferred beyond the beginning of the summer term of the school year for which the offer was made.
Admission of children outside their normal age group, including for ‘summer-born’ children
Parents or carers may request that their child is admitted outside their normal age group. To so do, they should include a written request with their application, setting out the year group in which they wish their child to be allocated a place and the reasons for their request.
When such a request is made, the Headteacher will make a decision on the basis of the circumstances of the case, based on their professional judgement of what is in the best interest of the child, taking account of the evidence and rationale provided by the parents/carers.
Appeal
If your child is due to start Primary school in September 2024, you can appeal if you are refused a place at one of your preferred schools on National Offer Say (Tuesday, 16 April 2024). You need to submit your appeal before Tuesday 14 May 2024 for it to be considered by Tuesday 16th July 2024. Any appeals received after this time will be heard within 40 school days from the deadline, or where reasonably possible in line with updated guidance from the Department for Education.
For late applications, appeals should be heard within 40 school days from the deadline for lodging appeals where possible, or within 30 school days of the appeal being lodged where reasonably possible in line with updated guidance from the Department for Education
Transition into Reception from Springhead Park Primary’s Nursery
Children attending the Springhead Park Primary School’s Nursery will not be automatically allocated a place in the reception year group. Applications must be made through Kent County Council as described above.