Admissions

Denholme Primary School can accept children from age 3-11. Any parents wishing to consider Denholme are warmly encouraged to contact the school to arrange a visit. 

 

Nursery applications

If your child is 3 years old, you can apply directly to school to register for a place in our nursery. When allocated a nursery place, a home visit and nursery visit will be arranged. You will also be invited to bring your child along to our free Stay and Play sessions before they start to help them settle. Please contact the school to find out more and to apply. 

Nursery application form 

 

School applications

Our main school has one intake in September each year. Children usually start in the September following their fourth birthday. We can also accept children mid-year who are moving into the area or changing school, dependent on current numbers and spaces within year groups.

Admissions are made through the co-ordinated school admissions scheme for the Bradford Metropolitan District Area. A place in Nursery does not automatically guarantee a place in school. 

The applications process usually runs from mid-October to mid-January and parents and carers are usually contacted by the Local Authority to confirm their school allocation by the end of April. However, please check the Bradford council website to confirm the specific timings and any other important information. If we are unable to offer your child a place you have the right to appeal.

Bradford council application form and detailed guidance

Information on the appeals process

 

Admission to our Resourced Provision for children with additional needs

We have an 8 place Resourced Provision (RP) for children with Communication and Interaction needs including ASD. Places in the RP are allocated through a separate Bradford SEND process.  Applying for a mainstream school place does not give access to a place in the RP. Please contact the school if you would like to know more about this provision and the admissions process.

 

Call school to arrange a visit

ENTITLEMENT

All three and four year olds are entitled to a free early education place before they reach statutory school age (the beginning of the school term immediately following the child’s fifth birthday). Some two year olds are also entitled to free education if they meet the entitlement criteria.

Children are admitted into Reception in the September following their fourth birthday. Parents can request that the date their child is admitted to the school is deferred until later in the school year or until the term in which the child reaches compulsory school age. Parents can request that their child takes up the place part-time until the child reaches compulsory school age. The admission criteria will apply to all children seeking a school place, whatever their term of entry.  The place offered will be reserved on condition that it is taken up within the same school year.

Admissions of summer born children may be deferred to the following September but in those cases children may be offered a place to enter Year 1 unless an application has been made and agreed by the LA or the admitting authority in advance. The Local Authority will consider any application for a deferred entry into Reception of summer born children for the September following their fifth birthday. Such requests will be considered in accordance with the Local Authority’s ‘Guidance on the admission of summer born children’ and DfE Advice.

Children attending a school’s nursery are not guaranteed a place in the reception class and a separate application must be made.

 

PUPILS WITH AN EDUCATION, HEALTH AND CARE PLAN

The admission of pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is dealt with by a separate procedure.  Such children are dealt with through a separate legislative process and without reference to the oversubscription criteria below. Children who have an EHCP which names a specific school, will be admitted to that school.

 

TIE BREAK

When demand exceeds places in any of the following policies, the distance between the child’s home and school, measured by a straight line distance from the Ordnance Survey address point of the home to the main entrance to the school building, will be used to decide who is given a place; those living nearest being given the available places. Where the offer of places to applicants with equi-distant addresses would lead to oversubscription, the decision of who will be offered the place will be made by random selection.

 

MULTIPLE BIRTHS

Where a parents of multiple births (twins, triplets etc) request admission and only one of the siblings can be offered a place, the remaining siblings will also be offered places above the admission number.

 

ADMISSION POLICY           

Where the number of preferences for a school exceeds the number of places available, priority will be given to children in the following categories:

1.     Looked after children and all previously looked after children, including those children who appear (to the admissions authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted. (see Note 1).

2.     Children who have exceptional social or medical needs, supported by a written recommendation from the child’s paediatrician/consultant or professional from Children’s Services. The letter must explain why the school is the only suitable school to meet the child’s needs and why no other school could provide the appropriate support for the child.


3.     Sisters and brothers of children living at the same address, who are at present on roll at the school, and will still be attending the school at the time of admission (see Note 2).

 

4.     All other children.

  

NOTES

  1. Previously looked after children are children who were looked after but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order) immediately following having been looked after and those children who appear (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted. (in accordance with 1.8 School Admissions Code of Practice)

 

  1. The terms “siblings” refers to children who live with the same family at the same address. Children living with the same family e.g. foster children and step-sisters and brothers are also included. Cousins are not siblings.

 

  1. ‘Home address’ refers to the child’s permanent home at the date of admission. Where the child lives with split parents who have shared responsibility, it is for the parents to determine which address to use when applying for a primary school. Proof of residency may be required at any time during or after the allocation process.