Admissions Procedure

Stages

The annual admissions procedure, applicable to the relevant age group includes the following stages:

• publication of information on individual schools (School Prospectuses) and on the Local Education Authority's (LEA's) services to the Primary and Secondary Schools;
• arrangements (admission pack) to enable parents to express preferences as to which school they would wish their child(ren)to attend;
• if two parents cannot agree on a preference of school, they must seek independent legal advice, and if necessary on appropriate court order, before submitting their single application form for the LEA;
• consideration of preferences by the LEA / Admission Authority in accordance with the published admissions criteria and in compliance with preferences up to the Admission Number for each school;
• in cases where preferences are not met, arrangements will be made for parents to discuss the matter with the Admissions Officer of the Children and Young People Service / Aided Sector and, in the event of no agreement being reached, to appeal to an Independent Appeals Committee.  The right to appeal does not apply at nursery stage;
• Parents who express a preference other than at the normal stages/phases of admission will be given the same opportunities as those outlined under Policy and Procedures for Admission to schools. Normally, a change in school can only be effected at the beginning of a school term, but changes arising from exceptional circumstances may be effected during the course of a school term.