Primary parent's guide

• About this guide
• Main changes for 2009
• When do children normally start school in Plymouth?
• Can my child start school earlier than the normal date?
• How the law applies to parents
• How the law applies to the Council
• Admissions strategy in Plymouth
• School meals and milk
• Education Welfare Service
• Charges for educational activities
• Insurance
• Data protection
• Complaints
• Further information and advice
• Other organisations
• Glossary

About this guide

How are children allocated places at primary schools in Plymouth when they start school for the first time? This guide explains the basic ground rules. For most families, the admission arrangements will be quite simple and straightforward. The parent applies in good time and the child is introduced and admitted to their preferred school in due course. For some applicants, however, things may not run so smoothly. They may find that the place they want cannot be allocated because the school is full and they are then offered a place at another school. This page explains why this sometimes happens and what a parent can do about it.

Please refer to the glossary for definitions of terms used in this guide.

The information contained in this guide was correct at September 2008 but readers should note that there may be changes to the published information that take effect during or after the 2008 to 2009 school year. The guide cannot therefore form the basis of a contract with parents.

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Main changes for 2009 admissions

• North Prospect Community Primary School and South Trelawny Primary School will merge in September 2009 to open as a new school in Ham Drive (name not yet decided);
• Chaucer and West Park Primary Schools will merge in September 2009 as a new primary school to be named Shakespeare Primary School;
• A residential area previously designated as a shared catchment area between Lipson Vale Primary School and Hyde Park Infant and Junior Schools will fall solely into the Lipson Vale Primary School designated area;
• Due to its peninsular location, the distance tie-breaker for Oreston Community Primary School will change from straight line measurement to shortest public walking route.

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When do children normally start school in Plymouth?

Children born between 1 September 2004 and 31 August 2005 may start at most primary schools in Plymouth in September 2009. A few schools admit children on two dates: September 2009 (for those born between 1 September 2004 and 29 February 2005); and January 2010 (for those born between 1 March 2005 and 31 August 2005). The list of schools, which you can download from our primary school admissions documents page, indicates which schools operate a single admission date and which have two admission dates.

Note: a place will be held open for any parent offered a school place for September 2009 who opts to delay their child's admission until January 2010.

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Can my child start school earlier than the normal date?

The law requires that children be in full-time education by the start of the term following their fifth birthday. However, in Plymouth, children are admitted to school at four years old, earlier than the law requires. Depending on their date of birth, all children are admitted to school in Plymouth in the September or January preceding their fifth birthday - most schools in Plymouth have been allowed the option of admitting all eligible children in September - if their parents so wish. To admit a child to school earlier than this would imply that a child aged under four years old would be eligible. We are prepared to consider each request for early admission on its merits, but expect that no child would have educational or other needs that could not be met adequately in a pre-school setting, except in the most exceptional circumstances.

We will accept an application for early admission:

• where the applicant provides a clear and strong recommendation from a medical doctor, a social worker, or an educational psychologist, based firmly on the exceptional medical or social needs of the child in question;
• after consulting and taking into account the views of head teacher(s) of the school(s) where the parent seeks a place and those of the teacher-in-charge of the pre-school setting the child attends;
• where we consider that the child's early admission to a school would be appropriate.

Where we accept an application, it will be considered in accordance with the normal admission arrangements.

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How the law applies to parents

To comply with the law, a parent must ensure that their child receives a suitable, full-time education at school or otherwise. They are entitled to say which schools they would prefer their child to attend. In other words they may express a preference, which is not the same as choosing a school, for which there is no provision in law. Parents are also entitled to appeal to an independent panel if their preference is refused.

The normal admission dates for four year olds in Plymouth are set out above, but the law does not require a parent to send their child to school then. They may start later, when they are five, if the parent so wishes, but this can have drawbacks. The law defines compulsory school age as:

• September for five year olds born between 1 April and 31 August;
• January for five year olds born between 1 September and 31 December;
• April for five year olds born between 1 January and 31 March.

For example, a child born in January 2005 does not have to start school in September 2009. That can be delayed until April 2010 (two terms later) without breaking the law.

Note: a parent who, for whatever reason, delays their child's admission to school until April 2010 or later is guaranteed a school place, but may find that the school they want their child to attend is already full by then with children who started under the normal admission arrangements.

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How the law applies to the Council

The City Council is the Local Authority (LA) for Plymouth and, as such, must ensure that there are enough school places available for all children in the area within reasonable travelling distance of home. The Council is also the admission authority for all community and voluntary controlled schools in Plymouth and therefore under a duty to comply with an applicant's request for a place except in certain circumstances, explained below. The admission authority for a voluntary aided or trust school is its governing body.

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Admissions strategy in Plymouth

Through our co-ordinated admissions scheme for primary schools, which you can download from our primary school admissions documents page, we aim to ensure fair and equal access to school places and promote admission arrangements which serve the interests of all parents and children in the local community, in line with the Government's codes of practice on school admissions and appeals. The code of practice is available from The Stationery Office (PO Box 29, Norwich NR3 1GN, telephone 0870 600 5522, fax 0870 600 5533, email book.orders@tso.co.uk) or on the Department for Children, Schools and Families website. In particular, we aim to ensure that parents living in Plymouth receive no more or less than one offer of a primary school place by, amongst other things, sharing information provided by parents on application forms with other local admission authorities. To assist in meeting these aims, we have established the Plymouth Admission Forum to promote discussion and consultation between all local admission authorities and interests, including the neighbouring LAs of Devon and Cornwall; the Church of England (CE) and Roman Catholic (RC) Diocesan Authorities; community, voluntary aided and trust school governors and head teachers; and parent representatives.

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School meals and milk

Meals are available in all Plymouth schools as are facilities for those who wish to bring sandwiches. We do not provide milk for pupils other than that which some schools sell to pupils.

Free school meals are available to children of parents who receive Income Support, Income Based Job-Seekers Allowance or Child Tax Credit with no entitlement to Working Tax Credit and an income as assessed by the Inland Revenue that does not exceed the threshold of £15,575 (up to 31 March 2009), or Guarantee element of State Pension Credit. Further details and an application form are available from our school meals page, the Free School Meals Team on 01752 307410, or directly from schools. Application forms should be returned to your child's school for authorisation.

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Education Welfare Service

Our Education Welfare Service provides support and advice on school attendance, bullying, exclusion, alternative educational provision, child employment and entertainment performance licences, links to other child welfare agencies, and child abuse procedures. Every child in Plymouth has a named Education Welfare Officer. To find out who that is, telephone 01752 307405.

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Charges for educational activities

There are restrictions on charges for educational activities. Details of our policy on charging are available from schools, local libraries, and the Department for Children's Services. Details of each school's policy are available from the head teacher.

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Insurance

We are insured against legal liability for any injury, loss or damage caused to pupils as a result of negligence on our part or that of our employees. Pupils are not insured for personal accident while on school premises or on work experience schemes. However, cover is provided for pupils on organised school trips and visits: head teachers and principals can provide details. Pupils are expected to accept responsibility for their personal possessions, including money. Parents may wish to consider taking out their own insurance to cover any risks.

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Data Protection

All information provided in respect of this application may be processed by or on behalf of any Plymouth primary school and by Plymouth City Council and exchanged with other local authorities for the purposes of dealing with school applications and related matters (for example admission appeals). It may also be exchanged within the Council for the purpose of prevention and detection of fraud. Ultimately the information provided will be retained by the Council and/or the school at which the child is placed and may be used for the purposes of dealing with matters connected with the child's education and to update any other records which either the school or the Council hold relating to the child.

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Complaints

You are entitled to complain if you are unhappy with the way in which we have handled your application. If you wish to lodge a complaint against us then contact the Department for Children's Services on 01752 307166 in the first instance.

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Further information and advice

Contact:

• Any primary or pre-school setting
• Plymouth City Council:
  • School Admissions Team - 01752 307166
  • Education Welfare Service - 01752 307405
  • Special educational needs - 01752 307407
  • Free school meals - 01752 307410
  • School transport - 01752 307412
• English as an additional language - 01752 673618

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Other organisations

• Parent Support Advisers (PSAs) is a pilot project that works with parents to gain their views and to offer all parents advice and support about anything! Although the PSAs are based in schools the work they carry out is parent led and the service they offer is impartial and confidential. Find out more from the Parent Partnership Service on 01752 258933.
• Plymouth Family Information Service provides information on childcare and education facilities - freephone 0800 7834259.
• Parent Partnership Service provides independent support and information for those with concerns about their child's education, including special educational needs - contact 01752 258933.
• Advisory Centre for Education (ACE) provides free, independent advice on the admissions process and a range of education issues including bullying, exclusion, Special Educational Needs (SEN) and attendance. For advice, enquirers should text the phrase AskACE to 68808 and follow instructions, or call 0808 800 5793 Monday to Friday, 10am to 5pm.

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