Admission rules 2013-14

The consultation on admission arrangements and admission numbers for community and voluntary controlled schools and on the scheme for the coordination of admissions to all maintained schools and academies in for 2013/14 ended on 1 March 2012.

Scheme of Coordination

The Scheme of Coordination for 2013 scheme (pdf format, 86KB) has been amended by removing the section on in year admissions and the Fair Access Protocol. In addition the date for offering places at primary and junior schools has been changed to 16 April 2013. From 2014, 16 April will be the National Offer Date for primary schools.

Fair Access Protocol

The Fair Access Protocol (pdf format, 53KB) has been amended to ensure it is consistent with the requirements of the new School Admissions Code.

The Protocol states that when a governing body does not wish to admit a child with challenging behaviour outside the normal admissions round it must refer the case to the Admissions Team for action under the Fair Access Protocol. This would only be appropriate where the school can provide evidence that it has a particularly high proportion of children with challenging behaviour or previously excluded children and that evidence is accepted by a majority of school and local authority representatives at the Fair Access Panel. The parent of a child refused admission under this provision would have a right of appeal to an independent admission appeal panel.

Challenging behaviour is defined in the protocol as serious criminal behaviour resulting in a conviction or a police caution, behaviour resulting in a permanent exclusion or behaviour resulting in a significant number of fixed term exclusions from which it is clear that the child is at serious risk of permanent exclusion

The provision to refer a child to the Fair Access Panel even though a school has available places does not apply to a looked after child, a previously looked after child or a child with a statement of special educational needs naming the school in question, as these children must always be admitted.

In year admissions scheme

This in year admissions scheme (pdf format, 50KB) for 2013 will apply to all in year admissions for F1 to Year 11 for community and voluntary controlled schools in Oxfordshire. Own admission authority schools may also take part in the scheme. It is intended to help both schools and families by providing a robust, fair and quick means of meeting parental preference wherever possible and in matching children to available places.

Community and voluntary controlled primary, infants', and secondary schools

The admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled infants’ and primary schools (pdf format, 43KB) have been amended to give previously looked after children the same priority as "looked after" children. The term “previously looked after children” refers only to children who were looked after but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or became subject to a residence order or special guardianship order).

The admission arrangements for St Mary’s CE Infant (Controlled) School have also been amended to give the same priority to children with siblings at The Batt CE Aided Primary School as that accorded to those with siblings at St Mary's CE Infant (Controlled) School. This change is designed to minimise the difficulties experienced by parents whose children have transferred from St Mary’s CE Infant (Controlled) School to The Batt CE Aided Primary School.

Amendments to the catchment areas of Gosford Hill School and Cooper School

No objections were received regarding the proposal to include the area of Murcott within the designated catchment area for Gosford Hill School (pdf format, 279KB). By road route Gosford Hill School is the most easily accessible secondary school to Murcott.

In addition no objections were raised regarding the retention of Murcott within the area for The Cooper School.

Children in Years 7 to 11 who live in Murcott will now be entitled to free transport to either The Cooper School or Gosford Hill School.

The Governors of Gosford Hill School fully supported this amendment to the school’s designated area.

Admission numbers for Community and Voluntary Controlled Primary, Infants’, Junior and Secondary Schools

The admission numbers (pdf format, 105 KB) have been set with regard to the capacity of the schools concerned. In the case of infants’ and primary schools where the admission number is less than the indicated admission number derived from the Net Capacity Calculation this has normally been done to ensure that the schools concerned can meet the Infant Class Size limit of 30 children.

Schools converting to academy status

In the secondary sector Gillotts School, Bartholomew School, Langtree School and The Cherwell School have confirmed that for entry to school in September 2013 they intend to follow the admission arrangements consulted upon by us. Faringdon Community College, Chipping Norton School, Henry Box School and Wallingford School have not confirmed with us the admissions arrangements that will apply in 2013. It is likely that these schools will continue to use the admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools.

In the primary sector Rush Common School will be using the admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools.

Own admission authority schools

Links to the determined own admission authority policies (pdf format, 304KB)

Primary Church of England Voluntary Aided Schools

Primary Catholic Voluntary Aided Schools

Primary Academies, Foundation and Trust Schools

Secondary Community Schools

Policy for Oxfordshire Community Schools (pdf format, 116Kb)

Secondary Voluntary Controlled School

Secondary Voluntary Aided Schools

Secondary Academies, Foundation and Trust Schools

New free schools (proposed to open)

• Heyford Park Free School (pdf format, 116KB)
• Tyndale Community School (pdf format, 44Kb)