Don’t miss your child’s reception place in Suffolk schools
Suffolk County Council is reminding parents and carers that if their child was born between 1 September 2008 and 31 August 2009 they will have to apply for a reception place for the school year starting September 2013 by Tuesday 15 January 2013. This date is also the closing date for entry to junior and middle schools in September 2013.
Councillor Graham Newman, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for education and young people, said: “Choosing the right school for your child is one of the most important decisions you make on your child’s behalf.
I would strongly advise all parents and carers to make an application by the deadline to give them the best chance of securing a place at their preferred school. Even if you are living next door to your preferred school, or your child is already attending a nursery class at an infant or primary school, a pre-school or children’s centre next to the school site you must apply for a full time place at a school.”
It is not possible to guarantee a place in a catchment area school (where there is a catchment area in operation) and so the county council urges parents and carers to indicate their second and third preferences on their application form. To do so in no way weakens their first preference, as the council always tries to meet parents’ and carers’ first preference.
When a local authority run school is oversubscribed the county council gives a higher priority to siblings. This means that if parent’s have a child already at or about to start at the school they are applying for, it is very important that they include their details on the application form. Failure to provide this information may affect the offer of a school place.
If there is demand for more places at a school than are available, then who gets a place will be decided according to the oversubscription policies for that school. Visit www.suffolk.gov.uk/admissionstoschools for more details about these policies.
To apply for a school place parents and carers just need to follow these easy steps:
1. Read Suffolk County Council’s booklet, ‘Admissions to Schools in Suffolk in 2013/14 – Your guide on how and when to apply for a school place’, to find out more details about the admissions process. This is available online at www.suffolk.gov.uk/admissionstoschools or from your school.
2. Apply online at www.suffolk.gov.uk/onlineadmissions or complete the Common Application Form (CAF1) available online at www.suffolk.gov.uk/Admissionstoschools, from your child’s school or by phoning 0845 600 0981 (local rate), filling in up to three schools in order of preference, naming the school you most want your child to go to as the first preference.
If you apply online, you will get an email confirming your application has been received. In addition, you’ll be able to receive the outcome of your application electronically without having to wait for a letter in the post.
3. If one of your preferences is for a voluntary aided school, you will also need to get a Supplementary Information Form (SIF) from the school, by phoning 0845 600 0981 (local rate), or online at www.suffolk.gov.uk/admissionstoschools. The SIF asks for extra information which will help the governors of a voluntary aided school to assess your application against their school’s admissions policy. You should return this form to the voluntary aided school.
Places will be given first to those who applied by the closing date. Parents and carers will be sent an offer of a school place on Tuesday 16 April 2013. If parents/carers do not fill in a form, or do not apply by the closing date, the Admissions Team will decide where to offer a place, based on which schools have spaces.
For more information on the applications process you can call 0845 600 0981 or speak to one of our School Preference Advisers through the Parent Partnership Helpline on 01473 265210.
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Weather for Haverhill
Wednesday 22 May 2013
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