Growing Places Community School
Admissions and Waiting List Policy
To be read in conjunction with;
• Absenteeism and Children Missing Education Policy
• Attendance Policy
• Promoting Positive Behaviour Policy
• Equal Opportunities Policy
• SEND policy
In accordance with the EQUALITY ACT 2010 we will not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristics, including; age, disability, gender assignment, marriage, civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.
Admissions Statement
Growing Places Community School aim to ensure that all sections of the community receive accessible information, and that our admissions procedures are fair, clear and open to all parents who apply for a place.
Children can attend the school in reception year in the September following the child’s fourth birthday and at the beginning of any half term, if a place becomes available.
The school will have classes of 12 pupils, starting with Year R in September 2026 and growing year on year. The class sizes are small to facilitate the best learning environment and opportunities for every individual child.
Step 1: There is an application form which is available on the website to complete. We are committed to providing high quality, inclusive education that nurtures the uniqueness of every child. Our admissions policy is designed to ensure fairness, transparency, and alignment with our school’s
values and vision. Priority is given to school staff children, those who currently attend a Growing Places Nursery and siblings of children attending the school.
Equal consideration will be given to all other applications under the admissions criteria of age, sibling priority and SEND support.
The school is advertised online accessible to all sections of the community.
Information about the school is accessible, using plain English.
Growing Places School welcomes applications from students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). We are committed to ensuring that all students can access a high-quality education in a supportive environment.
The school will assess each SEND application individually to determine how we can meet the child’s specific needs. Admission will only be offered if the school has the resources, staff expertise, and facilities required to provide appropriate support and ensure the safety and wellbeing
of all children.
Parents or guardians are encouraged to provide detailed information about the child’s needs, including Educational Health Care Plans (EHCPs), medical reports, or professional assessments, at the time of application. This allows the school to make informed decisions and, where appropriate, put in place necessary adjustments prior to admission.
Failure to comply may result in the provision of a place being withdrawn.
Acknowledgement of application will be sent within 5 days of receipt of application.
Step 2: Initial review. The Headteacher and panel considers:
• How the school can reasonably meet the pupil’s needs.
• Available space within the year group.
• Impact on the existing school community.
Step 3: A decision is made consistently, against the published admissions criteria (e.g., age, sibling priority, SEND support).
Step 4: Communication of Decision
Offer: Parents/guardians receive a formal written offer, including details of conditions (e.g., acceptance of policies, agreement to partnership working).
Refusal: Parents/guardians are informed in writing, with clear, lawful reasons (e.g., year group full, needs cannot reasonably be met).
Step 5. Appeals / Complaints Procedure
Parents are informed of their right to use the school’s complaints procedure if they wish to challenge the decision.
Complaints follow the school’s published Complaints Policy (required under ISS, Part 7).
All records of decisions are kept to evidence fairness and transparency.
Admissions
Once a school place has been offered the relevant paperwork is completed by the school admin team before the child starts and filed on the child’s personal file. Forms completed include attendance information, reports and reference from previous school attended.
Privacy Notice - explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, the control parent/carers have over their personal data and the procedures we have in place to protect it.
School registration form - contains personal information about the child and family that must be completed in full prior to the child commencing.
For each pupil the admission register will contain:
• Child’s name in full
• Sex, this should be the sex at birth
• The day, month and year of birth
• Day, month and a year of admission to school
• Name and address of last nursery/school attended (if appropriate)
• Day, month and year of leaving the school
• Name and address of every person who holds parental responsibility. Where a parent notifies the school that a pupil will live at another address, in addition or instead of their home
address, the full name of the parent they live with and the date from which this will occur.
• At least two emergency contact number for the child Safeguarding/child protection
If information is provided by the parents/carers that a child who is starting at the setting is currently, or was involved with social care, the designated safeguarding lead will contact the agency to seek further clarification.
Parents/carers are advised on how to access the setting’s policies and procedures.