Admissions Policy

September 2024 

1 Introduction

1.1 The Co-operatives Academies Trust (CAT) is the Admission Authority and is therefore required to draft, consult on and determine their admission arrangements. Where there are more applicants than places available, the authority will apply the admission arrangements in order to decide which applicants will be offered places.

Admission arrangements for voluntary aided schools, foundation schools, free schools and academies are set by their Governing Body, who are the Admission Authority for their establishment.  They are responsible for drafting, consulting on and determining their admission arrangements.  Copies of admissions arrangements for these types of schools/academies in Manchester can be found on the school/academy website and the LA’s website.  They are also available on request from the relevant school/academy and the LA.

2 Aims and objectives

2.1 We are an inclusive school that welcomes children from all backgrounds and abilities.

2.2 All applications will be treated on merit and in a sensitive manner.

2.3 The only restriction we place on entry is that of number. If the number of children applying for entry exceeds the places available, we enforce the procedure set out below in order to determine whether a child is accepted or not.

● Children who are in Local Authority Care;

● Children for whom this school is more suitable because of the nature of their special need;

● Children who already have a brother or sister at Co-op Academy Medlock

● Proximity of the child’s home address to this school.

It is our wish to allow parents the right to have a place at the school of their choice. However, this is not always possible due to the excess demand on the school places available.

2.4 Children’s academic ability plays no part in the admissions policy of this school.

2.5 Where a child has an EHCP, it may be that the child’s needs necessitate specialist staff, specialist equipment and / or adaptations to the building. In such instances it is likely that a delay would be required before a place was formally offered in order to get the necessary adaptations in place. In extreme circumstances, if the specific needs of a child would require a significant financial commitment from the school that the school is not in a position to commit, the decision may be made that the school would be unable to accept a pupil as it would be to the detriment of pupils already on roll.

3 How parents can apply for their child to be admitted to our school

3.1 As our school is a community school, the school determines the admission arrangements for Nursery places in agreement with the LA. The LA is therefore the ‘Admissions Authority’ for our school. Parents who wish their child to have a place at our Nursery must complete an admissions form, available from the school office or website

(https://www.medlock.coopacademies.co.uk/admissions). The main intake to Nursery is in September, but children can join us later in the academic year if places are still

available. Places are allocated according to the procedure in 2.3. Please see the schools Early Years Admissions Policy for details on how this is administered.

3.2 In Manchester children enter Reception in the academic year they become five. At Co-op Academy Medlock there is one admissions date per year early in September (i.e. at the start of the school year). The LA publishes a composite admissions prospectus each year, which gives information about how parents can apply for a Reception class place in the school of their choice. Parents have a right to express a preference for the school of their choice and they should do so on the application form. Expressing a preference does not, in itself, guarantee a place at this school. Application forms for children already attending our Nursery will be sent out by the school. The LA will send application packs to the homes of children who do not attend our Nursery but have registered an interest in their child starting in Reception. All forms should be completed and returned to the LA by the date stipulated. Parents/carers may also complete the forms on-line (www.manchester.gov.uk/education/admissions)

4 Admission appeals

4.1 If the LA does not offer a child a place at this school, it is because to do so would prejudice the education of other children by allowing the numbers of children in the school to exceed the legal number of children in a class, usually 30.

4.2 If parents wish to appeal against a decision to refuse entry, they can do so by applying to the LA. An independent appeals panel then meets to consider all appeals by parents who have been refused a place at our school and who wish to appeal against this decision. An appeals panel’s decision is binding for all parties concerned. If the appeals panel decides that we should admit a child to our school, then we will accept this and continue to do all we can to provide the best education for all the children at our school. (Details of appeal arrangements are set out in the Code of Practice on School Admissions Appeals, which came into force in September 1999.)

5 The Planned Admission Number

5.1 The planned admission number is the number of children the school will admit into a Reception cohort. The PAN for our reception year group is 60. We keep this number under review and the governors will apply to change the number if circumstances allow.

6 Infant class size

6.1 We teach Key Stage 1 children (aged five to seven) in classes that have a maximum number of 30 children.

7 Review

7.1 This policy will be reviewed annually with the Admissions Authority in the light of any changed circumstances in our school or the local area.