Admission

Admission arrangements for 2009 / 2010

Saint Mary's is a Roman Catholic Primary School provided by the Diocese of Salford and is maintained by the Bury Local Education Authority as a Voluntary Aided School. The school's Governing Body is the Admissions Authority and is responsible for taking decisions on applications for admissions. For the school year commencing September 2008, the Governing Body has set its planned admissions number at 60.

Admissions to the school will be made by the Governing Body in accordance with the stated parental preferences it receives, subject to the following set of criteria which will be used to form a priority order if there are more applications for admission than the school has places available.

1. Baptised Roman Catholic children who are in public care, who will have a brother or sister attending the school at the time of admission and are resident in the parish of Saint Mary's.

2. Baptised Roman Catholic children who will have a brother or sister attending the school at the time of admission and are resident in the parish of Saint Mary's.

3. Other Baptised Roman Catholic children who are in public care and are resident in the parish of Saint Mary's.

4. Other Baptised Roman Catholic children who are resident in the parish of Saint Mary's.

5. Other Baptised Roman Catholic children who are in public care and resident in another parish.

6. Other Baptised Roman Catholic children resident in another parish, who have a brother or sister in the school.

7. Other Baptised Roman Catholic children resident in another parish.

8. Other children (Non-R.C.) who are in public care.

9. Other children (Non-R.C.) who are resident in the Parish of Saint Mary's.

10. Other children.

Notes:

a) All applicants will be considered at the same time and after the closing date for admissions.

b) Each Roman Catholic applicant will be required to produce a baptismal certificate.

c) Parents/applicant's should check carefully whether they are resident within the parish boundary of Saint Mary's. A map illustrating the boundary is attached.

d) It is the duty of the Governors to comply with class size limits at key Stage One. This means that the school cannot operate classes in Key Stage One of more than 30 children.

e) If in any category there are more applications than places available priority will be given on the basis of proximity to the main school gate(this will be determined by the safest and shortest walking distance).

f) The Governing Body reserves the right to admit children with proven and exceptional medical and social needs where admission to the school might best help satisfy those exceptional needs, providing that such application is submitted with appropriate evidence from a doctor or social worker.

g) If an application for admission has been turned down by the Governing Body, parents can appeal to an Independent Appeals Panel. This appeal must be sent in writing to the Clerk to the Governors at the school within 14 days of notification of refusal. The date of notification will be 2 working days after posting by first class post. The parents must give their reasons for appealing in writing and the decision of the Appeals Panel is binding on the Governors.

h) Admission arrangements to the reception class are separate to those for the Nursery. Attendance at the Nursery does not give any child any guarantee or priority when it comes to consideration by the Governors of applicants for admission to the reception class.

i) Late applications will be considered according to the date received in school. If two or more are received on the same date the normal priority criteria will be applied.

*For the purpose of this policy the Governing Body will define 'Sibling Link' as a brother and sister or step brother and sister residing at the same address. (Definition as provided by Bury LEA)
This is a notification of change to the previous criteria.

Annual updates do take place so please ensure that you check the details for the relevant year of application.

Nursery Intake

The criteria for admission to the school equally applies to the Nursery. However, whereby exercise of this means that the number of places allocated falls below 60 Part-time places (30 Full-time equivalent).

Appeals Procedure

Parents of Pupils who have not been allocated a place at the school, have recourse to the appeals procedure. Appeals should be addressed to:

The Secretary,
Appeals Panel,
Roman Catholic Schools,
Education Department,
Athenaeum House,
Market Street,
BURY BL9 0BN.

Visiting School

Parents considering registering their children may visit the school at any time, by prior arrangement with the Head Teacher Before the beginning of the school year, a meeting for parents of those children who are already registered will be held, when Baptismal details will be required and school routines and practices explained to them.

As this is a Roman Catholic School, it is conducted in accordance with the rites, practices and observances of the Roman Catholic Faith and it is expected that children admitted to the school will take full and active part in the religious life of the school.

Parents who wish to withdraw their children from religious instruction and worship, must make arrangements with the School's Governing Body before the child is admitted.