Admissions Criteria

The Local Education Authority (LEA) will comply with its duty to provide an effective education system in so doing will have regard to the total resources, including accommodation and staffing, available to each school. It will consider the resource implications for the Authority and the impact on other education policies.

The LEA 's criteria for admission to schools are subject to:

• the LEA's obligation to ensure that a pupil with a Statement of Special Educational Need is admitted to a school able to meet those needs;
• the LEA's obligation to comply with the limitation on infant class size Legislation;
• the LEA 's obligation to ensure the provision of efficient education and the efficient use of resources; and any limitation which may arise in relation to a particular school resulting from the application of the admission number, which is the number of children that can be admitted to each year group during the school year

Over Subscription Criteria

In considering parental preferences, the criteria will be applied unless the LEA has agreed with an individual governing body an alternative order of priority, as published in the school 's prospectus. Where more parents have expressed a preference for a school in a particular year than there is room for, selection criteria will be applied in the following rank order:

• the LEA will consider the needs of children in public care (looked after children);
• the LEA will maintain the links between designated infant and junior schools, and between designated junior or primary schools and specific secondary schools as determined by the County Borough Council;
• the LEA will consider the additional learning needs of children; other special circumstances of the child, including medical reasons;
• the LEA will allow younger brothers or sisters (siblings) to be admitted to that school at which the older child is registered for the year of admission;
• the LEA will take full account of the proximity of the child 's home to the school for which a preference has been expressed. The LEA will ensure as far as possible that a place will be offered at the child 's nearest suitable school within the County Borough. In implementing this criterion, account will also be taken of transport arrangements and any potentially hazardous route between home and school.  Proximity will be measured in accordance with the LEA’s School Transport Policy.

Limitation on Infant Class Sizes

The Welsh Assembly Government, as outlined in the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 is committed to ensuring that no child aged 5, 6, and 7 years will be in a class of more than 30 pupils for every one qualified teacher. The statutory infant class size limit of 30 pupils applies to reception, Year 1 and year 2 classes.

Further Information

For further information on school admission policy and procedures click on the link to the Parents’ and Carers’ Guide to Education Services.