Shocklach Oviatt C. E. Primary School operates a Foundation Unit within a mixed age class of Nursery, Reception and Year 1 children.  It is staffed by a qualified teacher and a teaching assistant.  In our Foundation Stage Unit, nursery provision is as follows; five days per week, 8:45 a.m. to 3.15pm, 38 weeks per year. We aim to be flexible to suit all needs, so offer both half days and full days depending on number of spaces available. This policy deals with admissions into Nursery only.

Free entitlement to Nursery provision

Parents have been able to access their child’s free 15 hour entitlement to Nursery provision at either an individual setting or a combination of any two settings, regardless of whether they are private, voluntary, independent or maintained settings. All 3 and 4 year olds are entitled to receive 15 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year of high quality Early Years provision.

Admission criteria

A child is eligible for admission to nursery education at the start of the term following his or her third birthday.  Admissions into nursery are handled by Shocklach Oviatt Primary School and parents can apply via the school office.

Rising 3s (children who will have their third birthday during the term for which they are applying) may be admitted, subject to availability and admission criteria.  Priority will be given to 3 and 4 year old children who are eligible for the free early years entitlement.

Admissions for the free entitlement will be prioritised in the following order:

1. Children in need, as defined by the Children Act 1989.  These children will either be referred to the School through Social Services or through a Health Authority.
2. Children for whom there are particular medical or social reasons which, in the view of Cheshire West and Chester Borough Council, justifies admission to nursery education at the School.
3. Children whose exceptional personal/domestic circumstances justify admission to nursery education at the School. Applications for admission in these circumstances are made to the school by a parent/carer and are determined by the Headteacher.
4. Children with a sibling in Shocklach Oviatt Primary School at the start of the academic year in which the nursery age child is to start.
5. Other children living in the borough of Cheshire West and Chester.
6. Children who live outside the borough of Cheshire West and Chester.

In the event of the nursery being oversubscribed, children living nearest to the school will be given priority measured using an Ordnance Survey address point system which measures straight line distances in miles from the address point of the school to the address point of the place of residence.

To ensure that the oversubscription criteria are applied consistently at each admission, they will be applied in the order specified above. Please note that length of time on a waiting list will not be taken into account.

Any available places following the allocation of free entitlement places will be allocated on a charged for basis in accordance with the above criteria to rising 3s.

How to Apply

Application forms are available via the school office from Mrs Lewis or Miss Warrington (01829 250285) or they can be requested electronically from:

admin@shocklachoviatt.cheshire.sch.uk

Timing of Applications

Please note the following closing dates for applying for a nursery place:

The last Friday in May for autumn term places (September start)

The last Friday in November for spring term places (January start)

The last Friday in January for summer term places (After Easter holiday)

Late Applications

Where places are remaining, late applications will be possible up to the specified admission limit.

Offers of Places

Letters to families offering or refusing places will be sent out as follows:

By 2^nd week in June for autumn places

By 2^nd week in December for spring places

By 2^nd week in February for summer places

Families should confirm acceptance of the place as soon as possible by letter or e-mail, and in accordance with any deadline set out in the letter offering the place.  If no reply is received by the date of the deadline then the place will be re-offered to the child at the top of the waiting list.

Extra sessions

Parents/Carers may be able to take up extra sessions beyond the 15 hours free entitlement, depending on the availability of places up to the specified admission limit.  Nursery children attending a morning session need to be collected at 12 p.m.  These extra sessions will be charged at the rates set out in our charging policy.

Flexible Entitlement

Flexibility is defined as below:

• The 15 hour weekly entitlement must be provided in sessions of a minimum 2.5 hours in length and a maximum 10 hours in length
• Sessions must be taken in hourly or half hourly units.
• The 15 hour entitlement can be taken over a minimum of 3 days per week (equating to no more than 12.5 hours in 2 days)
• An entitlement cannot start before 8am or finish after 6pm
• The entitlement must be provided over a minimum of 38 weeks

In our Foundation Unit we offer flexible provision within the school day, which is agreed between us and the parents on a termly basis, taking into account the operational needs of the setting and demand levels at peak times.  The timing and availability of places will be subject to the limit in any one session.

Admission to Reception

Children are admitted into reception in the September following their 4^th birthday. Our annual published admission number is set at 12. Admissions into reception are handled centrally by the Local Authority and parents can apply on-line at:

www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

Please note that enrolment in Nursery does not give an automatic right for a child to move into reception at Shocklach Oviatt School. A separate application still needs to be made for Nursery children who wish to start school here.

Complaints about Admissions

We believe that complaints should be resolved as quickly as possible.  Complaints about admission need to be resolved with all due haste because of the time scale involved.  If the complaint cannot be immediately resolved by the Headteacher you may take your complaint to the Local Authority or to the Local Government Ombudsman.  The School will provide a copy of the Complaints Policy and details of how to contact the Local Authority or the Local Government Ombudsman on request.  Details of the Local Government Ombudsman’s services can also be found at www.lgo.org.uk

This policy was agreed by staff and governors.

Signed…………………………………………………….Headteacher

Date………………………………………………………………………….

Signed……………………………………………………Chair of Governors

Date……………………………………………………………………………..

This policy will be reviewed in September 2020