Priory CE Primary School Admissions
The school has an agreed admission number of 60 per year group, with a 39 place Nursery within our Early Years Unit. For application forms for years 1 to 6, parents are asked to contact the school office in the first instance. The Admissions team at Stoke on Trent City Council should be contacted on 01782 234598/ 237856 or www.stoke.gov.uk/admissions for applications to Nursery and Reception. They can also offer general information and guidance about admissions.
Where there are more applications for a community or voluntary controlled primary school than there are places available, the Council will use the following priorities, in order, to allocate places:
- Children cared for by a local authority and children who were previously looked after but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order).
- Children living in the catchment area of the school who have an older brother or sister attending at the time of admission (or at the linked junior school in the case of infant schools).
- Other children living within the catchment area of the school.
- Children living outside the catchment area of the school who have an elder brother or sister at the school at the time of admission (or at the linked junior school in the case of infant schools).
- Children who live nearest to the school as determined by a straight line measurement from the child’s home address point to the main entrance of the school.
Deferred entry to reception class
Parents may request that their child be admitted to reception class on a part-time basis, or that their child be admitted to the Academy later in the same academic year until the child reaches compulsory school age (i.e. beginning of the term after the child’s fifth birthday). The effect is that the place will be held for the child in reception and is not available to be offered to any other child within the same academic year in which it has been offered.
Before deciding whether to defer their child’s entry to the Academy, parents should visit their preferred setting to clarify how they cater for the youngest children in Reception and how the needs of these children are met as they move up through the Academy.
Admission outside of the normal age group
Parents may seek to apply for their child’s admission to the Academy outside of their normal age group, for example if the child is exceptionally gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health. In addition, the parents of summer born children may choose not to send their child to school until the September following their fifth birthday and may request that they are admitted outside of their normal age group to reception rather than year 1.
These parents will need to make an application alongside children applying at the normal age which should explain why it is in the child’s best interest to be admitted outside of their normal age which may include information such as professional evidence as to why this is the case and why an exception should be made in the case of the child. A decision as to whether this is an appropriate course of action will be made by the Local authority and / or Academy taking into account the circumstances of the case and views of the Principal. Parents do not have the right to insist that their child is admitted to a particular year group.
Guidance for Parents.
Nursery Admissions
All Nursery children are entitled 15 hours free, and some may be entitled to an additional 15 hours free. For those who are not entitled to the additional 15 hours, we offer the top-up hours for a fee.
Where there are more applications for a nursery setting than there are places the following priorities will be used, in order, to allocate places:
- Children in the care of the local authority and children who were previously looked after but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order).
- Children living within the catchment who have an elder brother or sister at the school who will still be attending at the time of admission (or at the linked junior school in the case of infant schools).
- Other children living within the catchment.
- Children living outside the catchment who have an elder brother or sister at the school who will still be attending at the time of admission (or at the linked junior school in the case of infant schools).
- Children who live nearest to the school as determined by a straight line measurement from the child’s home address point to the main entrance of the school.
Once the class is full a waiting list based on these criteria will be held until the end of September of that academic year. Attendance at a particular nursery setting will not guarantee admission to a reception class at the same school. As nursery education is not compulsory there is no right of appeal against the refusal of a place. However, every effort will be made to accommodate the wishes of parents.
For pupils who receive 15 hours free childcare only, morning sessions will be available from 8:45 to 11:45.
For pupils who receive the additional free 15 hours, we include an additional 25 minutes for lunchtimes. This will be a standard offer for a full time place with hours from 8:45 to 3:10. Lunch is not included and will be charged at £12.50 a week, alternatively children can bring a packed lunch. To find out the full details of your entitlements please use the Childcare Calculator at www.gov.uk/childcare-calculator
For parents/carers who do not qualify for the additional 15 hours free childcare, you can pay for a full time place at the rate of £77.25 per week with hours from 8:45 to 3:10. The £77.25 fee will be payable half termly, in advance. Lunch is not included and will be charged at £12.50 a week, alternatively children can bring a packed lunch.
For more information about the criteria 30 hours free childcare eligibility please visit 30 Hours Free Childcare Eligibility
Places to our Nursery are allocated by the Local Authority. Parents are asked to contact Admissions on 01782 236867/233232 or www.stoke.gov.uk/admissions for an admission form to Nursery or Reception.
Tax-Free Childcare
If you are a working parent with children under 12 (or under 17 for disabled children), you can open an online account to pay for registered childcare. The government will top-up the money you pay into the account. For every £8 you pay in, the government will add an extra £2.00. You can receive up to £2,000.00 per child – that’s up to £500 every three months. If you have a disabled child, you can receive up to£4,000.00 per child – that’s up to £1,000 every three months.
You, and your partner, must each expect to earn (on average) at least £125.00 per week (equal to 16 hours at the National Minimum or Living Wage). If you, or your partner, are on maternity, paternity or adoption leave, or you’re unable to work because you are disabled or have caring responsibilities, you could still be eligible.
If either you, or your partner, expect to earn £100,000.00 or more, you can’t get Tax-Free Childcare. You can’t use Tax-Free Childcare at the same time as childcare vouchers, Universal Credit or Tax Credits.
You can use it with the 15 hours and 30 hours schemes.
Please visit Childcare Choices to check your eligibility.
EXPLORE
Admissions
The following documents are also available, from the Stoke-on-Trent Admissions Team:
Admissions are open Monday to Thursday between 8:45am to 5pm and 8:45am to 4:30pm on Friday.
• Normal Round Admissions – 01782 234598 Email: admissions@stoke.gov.uk
• In-Year Admissions – 01782 237856 Email: in-yearadmissions@stoke.gov.uk
School Admissions
Civic Centre
Glebe Street
Stoke-on-Trent
ST4 1HH
The Stoke-on-Trent Admissions Team also give advice about applying for free school meals and transport to school. For further information please visit: http://www.stoke.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/education/admissions/