Accessibility

Online services

Contact

Mail :
Primary School Admissions Team
Dept. for Children's Services
Plymouth City Council
Plymouth PL1 2AA
Phone :
01752 307166
Email :
primary.admissions@plymouth.gov.uk
Fax :
01752 307403

Related pages

Links

Primary School Admissions

Primary parents guide

Starting school in Plymouth 2008 to 2009

[Back to top]

About this page

How are children allocated places at primary schools in Plymouth when they start school for the first time? This page 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 guide 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 page.

[Back to top]

Main changes for 2008 admissions

  • Langley Infant and Junior Schools will merge in September 2008 as Oakwood Primary School - part of the Southernway Federation;
  • Tamerton Vale and Southway Primary Schools will merge in September 2008 as Beechwood Primary School - part of the Southernway Federation;
  • Barne Barton and Bull Point Primary Schools will merge in September 2008 as Riverside Primary School;
  • Chaucer and West Park Primary Schools will merge in September 2008 as a new primary school, yet to be named;
  • Salisbury Road Infant and Junior Schools will merge in September 2008 as a new all-through primary school.

[Back to top]

When do children normally start school in Plymouth?

Children born between 1 September 2003 and 31 August 2004 may start at most primary schools in Plymouth in September 2008. A few schools admit children on two dates: September 2008 (for those born between 1 September 2003 and 29 February 2004); and January 2009 (for those born between 1 March 2004 and 31 August 2004). The list of schools indicates which schools operate a single admission date.

Note: a place will be held open for any parent offered a school place for September 2008 who opts to delay their child's admission until January 2009.

[Back to top]

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 and most schools in Plymouth have been allowed the option of admitting all eligible children in September if their parents wish. To admit a child to school earlier than this would imply that a child aged under four years would be eligible. The Council is prepared to consider each request for early admission on its merits, but expects 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.

The Council 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;
  • the Council considers that the child's early admission would be appropriate.

When the Council accepts an application, it will be considered in accordance with the normal admission arrangements.

[Back to top]

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 (see below). 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 2004 does not have to start school in September 2008. That can be delayed until April 2009 two terms later without breaking the law.

Note: a parent who, for whatever reason, delays their child’s admission to school until April 2009 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.

[Back to top]

How the law applies to the City 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 traveling 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 school is its governing body.

[Back to top]

Admissions strategy in Plymouth

Through its co-ordinated admissions scheme for primary schools (copies of which are available on request from the School Admissions Team), the Council aims 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, (available from The Stationery Office - TSO), PO Box 29, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Telephone: 0870 600 5522, Fax: 0870 600 5533, Email book.orders@tso.co.uk. Or online at Department for Children, Schools and Families website. In particular, the Council aims 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, the Council has 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 CE and RC Diocesan Authorities; community, voluntary aided and foundation school governors and head teachers; and parent representatives.

[Back to top]

How do I apply for a place?

If you have a child who is due to start school in 2008-09, and you wish your child(ren) to attend a Plymouth school, you can apply online.

Alternatively, if you prefer, you can apply by paper application. If you decide to apply by paper, fill in the form and return it to the primary school at the top of your list or to the School Admission Team. Whichever method of application you decide to use the closing date for applications is Friday 4 January 2008.

If you include an application for a place at a Roman Catholic school, there will be an additional form to complete which you will need to collect from the school direct.

Note: You must complete the City Council’s application form even if you have applied to the school direct. If you do not complete the City Council’s form, your child(ren) may not be allocated a place at a school.

If you live in Plymouth and wish your child(ren) to attend a school outside the Plymouth area, you will need to apply to the Local Authority in which the school in question is situated. For Cornwall County Council, contact Truro on 01872 322457, or for Devon County Council, contact County Hall, Exeter on 0845 155 1019.

You should apply for a school place even if your child is being considered for a special school or special unit placement, or attends the nursery class or unit attached to the school you want your child to attend. Attending the nursery neither guarantees nor gives a child special priority for a place at the school.

Note: Parents of children being considered for placement in a special school or unit should also apply for a mainstream school place to secure their position in case the special placement is not forthcoming.

[Back to top]

Can I apply for a school outside of Plymouth?

Yes, if you prefer. We have an agreement with Devon County Council that where a parent living in Plymouth wishes to apply for a school in Devon, or where a parent living in Devon wishes to apply for a school place in Plymouth, the parent completes the application form from the Local Authority in whose area the highest ranked school on the application is situated. Plymouth and Devon will then exchange information so that we both know of your interest.

If your only preference is for a school outside Plymouth, you should complete the application form for the Local Authority in whose area the school is situated.

[Back to top]

Bickleigh Down CE and Wembury primary schools

Although Bickleigh Down CE and Wembury primary schools are situated outside the Plymouth City boundary, they are both linked primary schools for Plymouth secondary schools. We do not publish the admission arrangements for these primary schools because they are not Plymouth schools. If you wish to apply for a place at either of these schools, it is important that you understand their admission arrangements because they may be different to those that apply to Plymouth schools. Please contact Devon County Council. You can telephone them on 0845 155 1015 or can contact by email to admissions@devon.gov.uk.

[Back to top]

Admission arrangements

Government regulations require all LAs to co-ordinate the admission arrangements for all maintained schools in their areas and define how such arrangements should work. In Plymouth, this means that:

  • parents have the opportunity to apply for up to three primary schools and rank them in priority order;
  • each applicant will receive a single offer of a primary school place;
  • offers of primary school places will be posted by the Council to parents on 28 March 2008. Parents will therefore not know which school their child has been allocated until after this date.

The arrangements described in this page meet the legal requirements and explain in detail how the arrangements will work locally.

[Back to top]

Class size limits

The law requires that no five, six or seven year old child shall be in a Key Stage 1 (infant) class of more than 30 pupils for any normal lesson with their teacher. Schools and the Council must ensure that children starting school in Plymouth do not join a class of more than 30 pupils. (Exceptions are allowed where, for example, an error has been made in implementing the admission arrangements, or the admission authority has acted 'unreasonably' in refusing admission).

[Back to top]

Will my child get a place at my preferred school?

Yes, if there is a place and the school is suitable for the child’s age, aptitude and ability.

No, if the relevant year group is full and to admit the child:

  • 'would prejudice the provision of efficient education or the efficient use of resources' (to quote the 1998 Education Act), or
  • would breach infant class size limits by requiring steps to be taken to comply with those limits that 'would prejudice the provision of efficient education or the efficient use of resources'.

[Back to top]

How places are allocated

Each school has a limited number of places available in its reception year group, depending largely on the physical capacity of its buildings. The number of places available is called the Published Admission Number (or PAN for short), shown in the list of maintained schools.

Each school you list on your application form will be treated as an application for a place and, in the first instance, given equal weight (subject to each school’s oversubscription criteria). This might mean that two or even three of these schools could offer you places. Where this happens, your own order of priority, as set out on the application form, will determine at which school a place is allocated. If none of the schools you list can offer a place, one will be allocated at the nearest community (or voluntary controlled) school with a vacancy to your home address.

Applications for each school are counted after the closing date. All applicants for a particular school may be offered a place if the number of applications is the same as or less than the Published Admission Number (known as the PAN). If the number of applications exceeds the PAN, all are put in priority order, according to the school’s admission criteria, and places allocated accordingly.

Attendance at a nursery gives no guarantee that a child will continue into the school where the nursery is located. A child’s home address determines whether they are in a particular primary or infant catchment area, not attendance at an infant school.

Note: Applications are not dealt with on a first-come first-serve basis and no priority is given to children already attending a nursery class or unit linked to the school, or any other local pre-school setting.

Note: Any change of preference to the application should be put in writing to the City Council’s School Admissions Team and NOT the school.

Note: If your local primary school (the one in whose catchment area you live) is not at the top of your list, it is strongly recommended that you include it in the list to try to secure a place there should your preferred school(s) be oversubscribed.

[Back to top]

Treatment of multiple births

The City Council recognises the desirability of keeping twins, triplets and other children of multiple birth together at the same school and will work with families to try to ensure that where possible, this happens. Where the admission criteria is applied and it is not possible to offer places to all children of the same multiple birth family in the school that the parent(s)/carer(s) have specified, an alternative placement will be offered.

[Back to top]

Admission criteria: community and voluntary controlled schools

Applies to all primary schools except Church of England and Roman Catholic voluntary aided schools.

In the event that a community or voluntary controlled primary school is over-subscribed, the Council will apply the following admission criteria in order of priority:

  1. Children living in the school’s catchment area with a sibling already attending the school at the time of admission or, for admission to an infant school, attending the linked junior school.
  2. Other children living in the school’s catchment area.
  3. Children living outside the school’s catchment area with a sibling already attending the school at the time of admission or, for admission to an infant school, attending the linked junior school.
  4. Other children living outside the school’s catchment area.

Exceptions will be made:

  • a child whose SEN statement names the parent’s preferred school will be admitted to that school;
  • overriding priority will be given to the admission of a child in the care of a local authority;
  • on exceptional medical or social grounds; This could include for example; a serious medical condition, which can be supported by medical evidence; the recent death of a parent; a significant caring role for the child which can be supported by evidence from Social Services.

Parents/carers or their representative will have to demonstrate that only the preferred school can meet the exceptional medical or social needs of the child. This can be in the form of a testimony from a medical practitioner, social worker or other professional who can support the application on an ‘exceptional’ basis.

  • where a child requires admission to a designated special needs centre or other specialist provision attached to the school;
  • where necessary to meet the requirements of a school’s Trust Deed.

Sibling: children are siblings if they are a full, half, step, or adoptive brother or sister, and live in the same family unit and household.

Tie-breaker: where we have to choose between two or more children in the same category as each other, priority will be determined on the basis of distance between home and school. Measurements are taken by a straight line on a map using the Council's electronic mapping system – the shorter the distance the higher the priority. Measurement points will be from an internal point of the building concerned (usually the visual centre of the building). Flats are therefore taken to be the same measurement point regardless of floor of location.

Catchment Area: if you are not sure in which catchment area you live, contact the School Admissions Team on 01752 307166 for advice.

Home Address: any allegations received by the Council of people providing false or accommodation addresses when applying for school places shall be fully investigated and, if found to be substantiated, allocated places may be withdrawn, as appropriate. Over-subscribed schools are advised to ask parents to provide proof of residence (for example utility bills) before admitting the child. The LA will also carry out checks as appropriate. A child’s home address is defined as that where he or she is normally resident or, where a child lives at more than one address, the address at which he or she lives for most of the time. The home address would normally be the address to which the Child Benefit Allowance is payable.

[Back to top]

Admission criteria: Church of England voluntary aided schools

Applies only to the following: St Andrew’s Primary; St George’s Primary; St Mary’s Infant; St Peter’s CE Primary Schools.

Where one of these CE VA schools is over-subscribed, the governing body will apply the following admission criteria in priority order:

Children who live in the school’s catchment area:

  1. brothers or sisters of children who attend the school;
  2. children from church going families, for example, who attend a Christian place of worship at least once a month;
  3. other applicants.

Children who live outside the school’s catchment area:

  1. brothers or sisters of children who attend the school;
  2. children from church going families, as described above;
  3. other applicants.

Exceptions: children with SEN statements nominating the school will be admitted; children in the care of a local authority from church going families will be given priority over other children from church going families; other children in the care of a local authority will be given priority over other children.

Plympton St Mary’s CE Infant School: first priority will include children with brothers and sisters attending Old Priory Junior School.

Endorsement: where an application is made on religious grounds, applicants are asked to write on the back of the application form the name and address of their Minister or Priest, so that he or she may be contacted.

Tie-breaker: for all CE VA schools with the exception of St George's Primary School: in the event of two applications in the same category being considered for a remaining place, priority will be given to whoever lives nearer to the school as measured by a straight line on a map using the Council's mapping system.

Tie-breaker for St George's Primary School: in the event of two applications in the same category being considered for a remaining place, priority will be given to whoever lives nearer to the school as measured by the shortest walking route.

If you nominate a Church of England school, you may need to supply additional information to support your application. Please ask the school for advice. If further information is needed in addition to the City Council’s application form and you do not provide it, your application will not be complete and may be disregarded.

[Back to top]

Admission criteria: Roman Catholic voluntary aided schools

Applies only to the following: Cathedral School of St Mary; Holy Cross; Keyham Barton; St Joseph’s; St Paul’s; St Peter’s RC Primary Schools.

Where a RC VA primary school is over-subscribed, the governing body will apply the following admission criteria in order of priority:

  1. a baptised Roman Catholic child. (Evidence: baptismal certificate or letter from a Roman Catholic priest confirming their knowledge of the child’s baptism)
  2. (i) a child who has a sibling who will still be attending the school when the child is due to enter. (Evidence: the supplementary form available from the school will allow applicants to name the sibling) (ii) a child who has a sibling who will still be attending another Roman Catholic school within Plymouth when the child is due to enter. (Evidence: the supplementary form available from the school will allow applicants to name the sibling)
  3. a child whose normal residence is with at least one parent who is a baptised Roman Catholic. (Evidence: parent’s baptismal certificate or letter from a Catholic priest confirming their knowledge of the parent’s baptism)
  4. a child who is a member of another Christian denomination. (Evidence: baptismal certificate or equivalent or letter from a minister)
  5. a child who is a member of another recognised Faith tradition. (Evidence: letter from a faith leader confirming their knowledge of the child)
  6. a child who seeks a Roman Catholic education
  7. other applicants

Exceptions may be made, as follows:

  • a child in the care of a local authority who is a baptised Roman Catholic shall be given priority over other baptised Roman Catholic children;
  • a child in the care of a local authority who is not a baptised Roman Catholic shall be given priority over non-Roman Catholic children;
  • a child with exceptional medical or social needs;
  • where a child requires admission to a designated special needs centre or other specialist provision attached to the school;
  • where a child has a SEN Statement (a school is required to admit the child if the school has been named in the Statement);
  • where necessary to meet the requirements of a school's Trust Deed.

The Cathedral School of St Mary: categories 2 and 3 (above) will be reversed.

Tie-breaker: priority will be given to the child from one of the designated feeder parishes for the school and, if this produces a tie, this will be the child who lives the nearest to the school, measured by a straight line on a map using the Council’s mapping system.

If you nominate a Roman Catholic school, you will need to complete an additional form to support your application. Please ask the school for advice.

If further information is needed in addition to the City Council’s application form and you do not provide it, your application will not be complete and may be disregarded.

[Back to top]

Making contact with a school

A parent, who contacts a school to enquire about admissions, can arrange a visit to the school and expect the head teacher or the school administrator to explain the admission arrangements. On request, a copy of the school’s brochure, along with the address for the online website or a copy of the Starting School in Plymouth booklet can be provided free of charge. The brochure will contain much useful information about the school, including details of the curriculum and organisation. School staff might also be able to advise parents on the likelihood of their child being allocated a place if they decide to apply, and the priority their application would receive if the school were over-subscribed.

[Back to top]

When can I expect a decision?

If you apply for a primary school place by 4 January 2008, we will write to you by first class post on 28 March 2008 to let you know at which school your child has been allocated a place. You should therefore expect to receive a letter on or soon after 29 March 2008.

Note: Your allocation letter will be posted to you on 28 March. You will not receive it until after this date so will not know the result until 29 March or soon after that date.

[Back to top]

What if my child is not allocated a place at a school I nominated?

A place will be allocated at the nearest community or voluntary controlled school to your home with a vacancy, but only if it is not possible to allocate a place at one of the schools you applied for.

[Back to top]

Is there a waiting list for places?

Yes.

  • On your application form, you will have nominated three schools in rank order. If you are not offered your highest ranked school, your child’s name will automatically be placed on a waiting list for the schools that you ranked higher than the one actually offered.
  • If a place becomes available before any statutory appeals are heard, your case would be considered alongside others on the waiting list, any appeal cases, and any late applications, in accordance with the published admission criteria.
  • The waiting list will be maintained up until the end of term one.

[Back to top]

Can I appeal?

Yes, you are entitled to lodge a statutory appeal for a place at any school for which your application has been refused. However, where the refusal is based on class size limits (that is, the law requires that no five, six or seven year old child shall be in a Key Stage 1 (infant) class of more than 30 pupils for any normal lesson with their teacher), the grounds for appeal are strictly limited to:

  • whether the decision to refuse the application was not one which a “reasonable” admission authority would make, or
  • whether the place would have been offered if the published admission arrangements (as set out in this booklet) had been properly implemented.

If a place becomes available before the appeal is heard, your case would be considered alongside any other appeals, those on the waiting list, and any late applications, in accordance with the published admission criteria.

Voluntary aided schools have their own appeal arrangements. Further details are available direct from the school.

Note: Appeal arrangements differ for children with SEN Statements, where it is the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST)l that hears appeals against the school named in a statement.

[Back to top]

May I apply again if my request is refused or my appeal dismissed?

Repeat applications for the same school in the same school year are not considered unless there are significant and relevant changes in the applicant’s circumstances, or those of the school in question. Where an application is not considered, there can be no further review or appeal.

[Back to top]

What happened last year?

Twenty-three out of the 69 primary schools were filled at the first round of allocations for entry in 2007/08. The table below shows which category of applicant were allocated or refused a place at those schools. All schools not listed in the table were able to take all of the children who applied for a place.

Please remember that because parental preferences can change, this should not be taken as an indication of future school place allocations.

School Places Total applications Category allocated Category refused
Boringdon Primary School

60

161

1-3

All 4
Chaucer Primary School

30

66

1-3, some of 4

Some of 4
Compton CE Primary School

50

148

1-3, some of 4

Some of 4
Drake Primary School

30

79

1-3, some of 4

Some of 4
High Street Primary School

30

48

1-3, some of 4

Some of 4

Holy Cross RC Primary School

30

58

Refer to school

Refer to school
Hyde Park Infant School

90

245

1, some of 2

Some of 2,3-4
Lipson Vale Primary School

55

122

1-3, some of 4

Some of 4
Manadon Vale Primary School

60

240

1-3, some of 4

Some of 4
Mary Dean's CE Primary School

50

69

1-3, some of 4

Some of 4
Montpelier Primary School

90

243

1-3, some of 4

Some of 4
Oreston Primary School

45

130

1-3, some of 4

Some of 4
Pomphlett Primary School

30

59

1-3, some of 4

Some of 4
St. Paul's RC Primary School

30

62

Refer to school

Refer to school
St. Peter's RC Primary School

30

42

Refer to school

Refer to school
Stoke Damerel Primary School

45

112

1-3, some of 4

Some of 4
Stuart Road Primary School

30

73

1-2, some of 3

Some of 3,4
Victoria Road Primary School

30

74

1-2, some of 3

Some of 3,4
West Park Primary School

30

63

1-2, some of 3

Some of 3,4
Widewell Primary School

30

75

1-2, some of 3

Some of 3,4
Widey Court Primary School

90

193

1-3, some of 4

Some of 4
Woodfield Primary School

30

52

1-3, some of 4

Some of 4
Woodford Infant School

60

132

1-3, some of 4

Some of 4

School Appeals allowed Appeals dismissed
Chaucer Primary School

0

1
Compton CE Primary School

0

2
Drake Primary School

0

1
Hyde Park Infant School

0

4
Lipson Vale Primary School

0

1
Manadon Vale Primary School

0

3
Montpelier Primary School

0

2
Morice Town Primary School

0

1
Oreston Primary School

0

2
Stoke Damerel Primary School

0

3
Stuart Road Primary School

0

6
Victoria Road Primary School

0

2
West Park Primary School

1

1
Widewell Primary School

6

0
Woodford Infant School

0

2

Note: Results will be dependant on parental preference. Last year’s results should not therefore be taken as a set indicator for future results.

[Back to top]

What if my application is late or I change my mind?

  • It is very important when notifying a change of preference, to also tell us if you no longer wish to be considered for a place in a school previously listed in an application.
  • If you have recently moved to the area you should fill in an online application or a paper application form and return it as soon as possible.
  • All changes must be submitted in writing. If this presents a problem, please speak with the School Admissions Team.

What if I change my mind before the application deadline?
You can alter your application as many times as you like before the application deadline. We will act upon your latest application which means that we will disregard any earlier application received from you.

If you change your mind before the application deadline, you must write to us clearly stating your new ranked preferences giving any relevant information, which may have a bearing on your child's allocation of a place. Your letter must arrive by the application deadline.

What if I change my mind or apply after the application deadline?
The School Admissions Code of Practice confirms that once parents have made their preferences, local authorities must not allow them to be changed after the application deadline without a genuine reason for doing so, for example, if the family has recently moved address. For this reason, any change of preference, unless accepted as a valid reason, would normally be looked at after all other applications that had been submitted on time had been dealt with. If there is a valid reason for a late application or a change of preference e.g. a proven change of address, we will try to include your amended application in the first allocation round. However, in all probability your requested change will be received too late as there are a lot of administrative processes that need to be completed between the application close date and the allocation date. Some schools will be filled in the first allocation round. Please ensure that all requests for change are clearly made and that you give direction for the treatment of schools listed in earlier applications.

Two further allocation rounds will be held after the initial round, one in April and one in May. If you miss the initial round, your application will be held until April, likewise, if you miss the April allocation, it will be held until the May allocation. Thereafter applications will be considered upon receipt.

Note: It is not normally possible to change your ranked preferences in the period after the application close date and before the allocated school is notified. Please therefore think very carefully about your ranked school preferences before submitting your application.

What if I reject the school allocated?
If you no longer require the school place allocated to your child, please tell us in writing because there could be other children waiting for places at that school. We are unable to withdraw the allocation of a school place unless you formally tell us that you do not want to accept it.

[Back to top]

What if I plan to move house?

If you move house before your child starts primary school, his or her position in the order of priority for places at a particular school may change, depending on where you live now and where you plan to move. You would be expected to provide the City Council with clear proof of the move by submitting, for example, a solicitor’s letter confirming that contracts have been exchanged on a specified property. Confirmation of intention to buy, or that a contract has been signed, is insufficient proof. A change of address cannot be taken into account until this evidence is provided as a proposed move may fall through.

If you are moving out of the area or have made alternative arrangements for schooling and no longer need the place allocated to your child, you must let us know so that we can reallocate that place to someone else on the waiting list.

[Back to top]

What information will the primary school have about my child?

For children attending nursery groups and other pre-school settings in Plymouth, parents will have access to information on their child’s learning either through the Recording Early Achievement in Plymouth (REAP) system or in an alternative format. Parents may find this information helpful when deciding which school to apply for. It includes a Transfer Document completed by the pre-school setting, and sent to the primary or infant school to which the child is admitted. This describes the child’s learning and achievements and any other information that the school may need to know, including the child’s special educational needs, if any. Information can only be transferred between settings with parental permission.

[Back to top]

Secondary school admissions

When children reach Year 6 - the final year of primary education - parents are asked to nominate their preferred secondary schools. Currently in Plymouth, the primary school a child attends, and whether or not it is linked to a particular comprehensive school, affects his or her position in the order of priority for a place where the preferred school is over-subscribed. But more important than that is the child’s address and whether it is within the preferred school’s catchment area.

The current order of priority for admission to comprehensive schools and community colleges in Plymouth is set out below, although, by the time a child starting school in 2008-09 transfers to secondary education, priorities may have changed.

Children living in the secondary school's catchment area:

1 with a sibling who will be attending the secondary school at the same time
2 attending a linked primary school
3 with no sibling or linked primary school connection

Children living outside the secondary school's catchment area:

4 with a sibling who will be attending the secondary school at the same time
5 attending a linked primary school
6 with no sibling or linked primary school connection

Note: That a child whose SEN statement names the parent’s preferred school will be admitted to that school and that overriding priority will be given to the admission of a child in the care of a local authority.

[Back to top]

Linked primary schools

The following primary schools have catchment areas, parts of which lie outside their linked secondary school’s catchment area. Children living therein and attending the primary school therefore have slightly less chance of gaining a place at the linked secondary school than do other children at the same primary school who live within the linked secondary school’s area. If you are not sure in which secondary school area you live, ask at your local primary school or contact the School Admissions Team on 01752 307166.

Primary school Linked secondary school School within which lies part of the primary school's area
Hyde Park John Kitto, Stoke Damerel John Kitto, Stoke Damerel
Montpelier John Kitto, Stoke Damerel John Kitto, Stoke Damerel
Mount Street Lipson Stoke Damerel
St. Mary's Infant* Hele's Ridgeway

*St. Mary's Infant School has a slightly different catchment area to its linked junior school, Old Priory Junior School.

[Back to top]

Can my child travel free to school or benefit from cheap bus fares?

Children under eight years old who live more than two miles, and children of eight or older who live more than three miles, from the school in whose catchment area they live by the shortest available walking route, are entitled to travel free to and from school. In Plymouth, however, pupils are not normally entitled to free travel, as they all live within walking distance of their catchment area school. Walking distance is defined in law as two or three miles, according to the child’s age.

Where a parent seeks to send their child to a school other than the catchment area school, if that school becomes full after the parent has applied for an alternative school, free travel to the parent’s preferred school will not be provided.

Where a school is full and unable to admit a child living in its catchment area, the City Council may nominate and provide free travel to the nearest alternative school if this is beyond the statutory walking distance. Free travel may also be provided at the City Council’s discretion for exceptional reasons, for example, on medical grounds.

From September 2007 the government introduced new eligibility criteria for pupils who are entitled to free school meals or whose parents are in receipt of their maximum level of Working Tax Credit. Pupils will qualify for free travel to school if they are attending their nearest primary school and the school measures more than two miles from home. This also includes pupils attending a school on the grounds of religion or belief.

Travel application forms are available online or by paper copy from the School Transport Team on 01752 307313, 307499, 307411 or 307410.

Further information on entitlement to free travel is available from the City Council.

All major bus operators in Plymouth offer child fares and various season tickets and day rider tickets for children of statutory school age.

[Back to top]

Sustainable travel

At the start and end of the school day, about 20% of traffic is related to schools and colleges. The obvious effect of this is apparent every morning, increased congestion, pollution and risk to safety. Plymouth City Council promotes sustainable school travel and you can help. When making your school choices, take a moment to consider how your children will travel to school. Is there an opportunity to walk or cycle? If you live further away, could you use public transport, car share or 'Park and Stride'. Encouraging sustainable choices from an early age will have a positive effect on our health, safety and environment, with children gaining valuable life and social skills along the way. We can all have an impact on the wider environment by acting smarter and reducing our Carbon Footprint.

Note that the Local Authority responsibility for transport depends on where a child lives. If you do not live in Plymouth, please ask your home LA for details of transport entitlement.

[Back to top]

Who is responsible for travel arrangements?

For children receiving free school transport, parents are responsible for ensuring their child’s safety between home and the school transport picking-up and setting-down points. Where there is no entitlement to free travel, the parent is entirely responsible for making and paying for all the travel arrangements.

There is an appeals procedure for school transport disputes between parents and the City Council, details of which are available from the School Transport Officer on 01752 307412. For information on suitable bus routes to school, please contact Traveline on 0870 6082608.

[Back to top]

School meals and milk

Meals are available in all Plymouth schools as are facilities for those who wish to bring sandwiches. The City Council does 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 £14,495 (up to 31 March 2008), or Guarantee element of State Pension Credit. Further details and an application form are available from the Council’s school meals page, The Free School Meals Team on 01752 307410, or from schools direct. Application forms should be returned to your child’s school for authorisation.

[Back to top]

Education Welfare Service

The Council’s 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.

[Back to top]

Charges for educational activities

There are restrictions on charges for educational activities. Details of the City Council’s 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.

[Back to top]

Insurance

The City Council is insured against legal liability for any injury, loss or damage caused to pupils as a result of negligence on its part or that of its 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.

[Back to top]

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 or ancillary to the child’s education and to update any other records which either the school or the Council hold relating to the child.

[Back to top]

Complaints

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

[Back to top]

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

Other organisations

[Back to top]