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N2K Newsletter


Can I Apply for a Primary School Out of my Catchment Area?

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You can apply for a school in an LA even if you don’t live there. This is particularly common in London, where many people live on or near the borders of different London boroughs. If you do this, you will need to contact the relevant LA and fill in a separate application form. Bear in mind that this LA may have different admissions rules.
How do I apply for a primary school out of my catchment area?
Most LAs will allow you to apply for three schools, listed in order of preference.
Use your preferences wisely! It makes sense to include at least one school that you have a strong chance of being accepted for. Many parents have found themselves being offered a school that they don’t want (usually the nearest school with places available) because they weren’t accepted for any of their three choices.
Be aware that the order in which you put the schools will not normally affect your chances of being offered a place in a particular school. The reason for listing them in order of preference is so the LA can offer you, if possible, your preferred school.
You will automatically be sent a paper form to fill in, which will have to be returned to the LA by a particular date. Many LAs also give you the option to apply online.
There will be a booklet sent with the form listing the LA schools you can apply for and giving information about the number of children admitted to each school. The booklet will explain the admissions rules for community schools and the different rules for the voluntary-aided and voluntary-controlled schools.
When you fill the form in, you will have to give your child’s name and date of birth, together with details of whether they have any siblings at the schools you are applying to, whether there is a statement of special needs, and whether there are any particular social or medical requirements that mean it is preferable for your child to attend your first choice of school.
If you have problems filling the form in, you can call the admissions team at your LA to ask for help.
If you require a supporting statement from your GP or religious leader, you should make an appointment to see them and ask for it. Although they will be used to receiving these requests, it is still worth asking for it in good time. A few weeks before the closing date is recommended.
Obtaining a Statement of Special Educational Needs can be a long and laborious process. If your child already attends nursery or pre-school, you should begin by talking to the person responsible in that setting for special educational needs. This person is known as the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) and will help assess whether your child has special needs and, if so, what special needs they have. If necessary, the SENCO can contact the LA to ask for a statutory assessment. If your child doesn’t attend a nursery or pre-school, you can do this yourself.
The LA has to let you know within six weeks whether they will carry out the assessment. If they agree, it may then take several more weeks before they begin the assessment, and, having carried out the assessment, they may not agree that your child needs a statement. Government rules state that the whole process from beginning to end should not take more than 26 weeks. The LA is unlikely to send you a reminder to fill in the form, so make sure you return it by the closing date. If you forget to do so, you will be allocated a school that has not filled its places, though you will be able to go on the waiting list for your preferred school.
Extract taken from Primary School – A Parent’s Guide. For more information about primary schools catchment areas and applying for places.

You can apply for a school in an LA area (Local Authority) even if you don’t live there.

out-of-catchment-primary.jpgThis is particularly common in London, where many people live on or near the borders of different London boroughs. If you do this, you will need to contact the relevant LA and fill in a separate application form. Bear in mind that this LA may have different admissions rules.

How do I apply for a primary school out of my catchment area?

Most LAs will allow you to apply for three schools, listed in order of preference.Use your preferences wisely! It makes sense to include at least one school that you have a strong chance of being accepted for. Many parents have found themselves being offered a school that they don’t want (usually the nearest school with places available) because they weren’t accepted for any of their three choices.

Be aware that the order in which you put the schools will not normally affect your chances of being offered a place in a particular school. The reason for listing them in order of preference is so the LA can offer you, if possible, your preferred school.

You will automatically be sent a paper form to fill in, which will have to be returned to the LA by a particular date. Many LAs also give you the option to apply online.

There will be a booklet sent with the form listing the LA schools you can apply for and giving information about the number of children admitted to each school. The booklet will explain the admissions rules for community schools and the different rules for the voluntary-aided and voluntary-controlled schools.

When you fill the form in, you will have to give your child’s name and date of birth, together with details of whether they have any siblings at the schools you are applying to, whether there is a statement of special needs, and whether there are any particular social or medical requirements that mean it is preferable for your child to attend your first choice of school.

If you have problems filling the form in, you can call the admissions team at your LA to ask for help.

If you require a supporting statement from your GP or religious leader, you should make an appointment to see them and ask for it. Although they will be used to receiving these requests, it is still worth asking for it in good time. A few weeks before the closing date is recommended.

Obtaining a Statement of Special Educational Needs can be a long and laborious process. If your child already attends nursery or pre-school, you should begin by talking to the person responsible in that setting for special educational needs. This person is known as the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) and will help assess whether your child has special needs and, if so, what special needs they have. If necessary, the SENCO can contact the LA to ask for a statutory assessment. If your child doesn’t attend a nursery or pre-school, you can do this yourself.

The LA has to let you know within six weeks whether they will carry out the assessment. If they agree, it may then take several more weeks before they begin the assessment, and, having carried out the assessment, they may not agree that your child needs a statement. Government rules state that the whole process from beginning to end should not take more than 26 weeks. The LA is unlikely to send you a reminder to fill in the form, so make sure you return it by the closing date. If you forget to do so, you will be allocated a school that has not filled its places, though you will be able to go on the waiting list for your preferred school.

Extract taken from Primary School - A Parent's Guide. For more information on primary school cathcment areas and what to expect when your child goes to primary school, take a look at the book - available now in eBook and printed book formats. Buy the printed version and get the eBook free!