Admission Policy
LMNSF Nursery Schools
Admissions Policy
2023-24
Demand for places at our nursery schools are traditionally high. When considering applications, we will use the criteria outlined in this policy to allocate places fairly and transparently. Appendix A at the end of this policy sets out the criteria for funded places for 2, 3 and 4 year olds.
To apply for a place parent/carers need initially to return a ‘Registering your interest’ form. This is available on our websites or by contacting the nursery you are interested in attending.
Session timings and options will be reviewed each year to reflect the needs of our communities. Details of options available will be published on our website or can be gained through contacting the nursery school directly.
Funding for children usually starts following their second or third birthday depending which Government schemes the family are entitled to.
Some 2 year olds might be entitled to the working parents funding from 9 months therefore they will be eligible for a funded place at one of our nurseries from the date their second birthday.
Parents should note that funding codes only become valid the term after they receive them so:
- Codes first received between 1st September and 31st December will be eligible to be used from 1st January
- Codes first received between 1st January and 31st March will be eligible to be used from 1st April
- Codes first received between 1st April and 31st August will be eligible to be used from 1st September
Codes need renewing every 3 months and it is parents responsibility to renew their codes in time to ensure the funding continues.
Fee paying children can start as soon as the child has turned two.
Our main admission points are at the start of term:
- Autumn Term – Begins September
- Spring Term – Begins January
- Summer Term – Begins April
If the school has enough places for all of the children applying, then they will all be offered a place.
When a nursery has more applicants than places available, children are offered places in the following order:
- All looked after and all previously looked after children
- Children who have an Education and Health Care plan
- Children with a ‘Child in Need Plan’ or a ‘Child Protection Plan’
- A brother or sister attending our Nursery school at the time of application who will still be attending at the expected time of admission
- Admission Group 1 - Families receiving 2 year old funding due to receiving Government support.
- Admission Group 2 -Universal funding and Families receiving working family government support
- Admission Group 3 - Fee paying families who are not entitled to any Government funding.
If at any point in the process there are not enough places for all of the children in an admission group then closest distance from home to Nursery School (measured using google maps driving distance) will be used.
If a child is applying mid-term and requires an immediate start and there is a space available then they will be admitted as soon as their paperwork has been processed.
Children already in our nursery school will automatically move to the next room, they are guaranteed a place and do not need to reapply each year.
We will retain a list of unsuccessful applicants and in the event of spaces becoming available during the academic year, they will be offered from the waiting list in line with the admissions criteria given above.
Should parents/carers turn down an offer of a place due to it not being their preferred session, their child’s name will go on a waiting list for consideration if a vacancy arises during the year. However, if a child is already attending the Nursery (having accepted a place even though it was not their preferred session) then that child will be offered the vacant place first.
Once we have made an offer we can consider withdrawing the place in the following cases:
- Where a fraudulent or intentionally misleading application led to an offer of a place. For example, a false address was given which denied a place to a child with a stronger claim.
- Where parents/carers do not return required paper work by a deadline or fail to respond to our offer or any of our follow-up letters.
- Where an error has led to an offer of a place.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
The Governors and Executive Headteacher of the school are responsible for publishing this policy. Parents and carers should contact the school for more details.
There is no legal requirement that nursery children must have a place in a class or school and as such, there is no right of appeal against a decision not to offer a child a place at a particular nursery school or class.
Attendance at the nursery will not guarantee admission to any Reception class and does not give advantage to the child’s application to any Reception class.
A separate application for admission to Reception class will always have to be made.
Lincolnshire County Council has an inclusive education policy and children will not be discriminated against as laid down by the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, The Race Relations Act 1976 as amended by the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, The Human Rights Act 1998 and The Special Educational Needs and Disability Discrimination Act 2002. This includes reasons such as:
- Developmental delays, e.g. a child’s self-help skills are delayed affecting activities such as dressing, feeding or toilet training.
- Additional educational needs, including emotional or behavioural difficulties.
- Physical or sensory impairment.
Looked after and post looked after: Definition
Sometimes referred to as child in public care, a looked after child is a child in the care of the local authority or is provided with accommodation by a Local Authority in accordance with section 22(1) of the Children’s Act 1989, at the time of application. Previously looked after children are children who were looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted or became subject to a child arrangement order or special guardianship order.
Children in Need: Definition
Section 18 (10) Children Act 1989 says that a child is defined as being in need if:
- he is unlikely to achieve or maintain, or to have the opportunity of achieving or maintaining, a reasonable standard of health or development without the provision for him of services by a Local Authority under Part III of the Children Act 1989, or
- his health or development is likely to be significantly impaired or further impaired, without the provision for him of such services, or
- he is disabled.
In practice any child who meets the following criteria should be regarded as a Child in Need:
- Those referred by Social Services, with particular reference to those considered to be at risk in terms of child abuse
- Those with a Child in Need Plan
- Those with a Child Protection Plan
Brother or sister attending the school at the time of application, or who will be attending the school at the expected time of admission.
In all cases both siblings must live at the same address.
A sibling is defined as;
- a brother or sister who shares the same biological parents
- a half-brother, half-sister, step-brother or step-sister
- a legally adopted child,
- a child legally adopted by a biological or step-parent
Home Address
By home we mean the address where the child lives for the majority of term time with a parent as defined in section 576 of the Education Act 1996 who has parental responsibility for the child as defined in the Children Act 1989.
Where a child lives normally during the school week with more than one parent at different addresses, the home address for the purposes of school admissions will be the one where the child spends the majority of term time. If a parent can show that their child spends an equal amount of time at both addresses during school term time, they can choose which address to use on the application.
Appendix A: Funding eligibility
The current offer
Eligible working parents and carers of children aged 3 - 4 can get an additional 15 hours of childcare support, bringing the total support they can get up to 30 hours a week. Eligible working parents of 2-year-olds can also access 15 hours of childcare support.
Some parents of 2-year-old children may also be entitled to 15 hours childcare support, if they receive some additional forms of government support. Please note, if you’re eligible for both the working entitlement and the 15 hours for families receiving support, you cannot take up both offers, and should apply for the 15 hours for families receiving support. You can do this by contacting your local authority.
Your hours can be used per week for 38 weeks of the year (during school term time).
You can use Tax-Free Childcare or Universal Credit Childcare whilst claiming your 15 or 30 hours of childcare support.
The expanded offer
From April 2024, eligible working parents of 2-year-olds can access 15 hours childcare support. By September 2025, most working families with children aged between 9 months and 5 years old will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare support.
The changes are being introduced gradually to make sure that providers can meet the needs of more families. This means that:
From September 2024
15 hours childcare support will be extended to eligible working parents of children from the age of 9 months to 3-year-olds.
From September 2025
Eligible working parents of children from 9 months to school age will be entitled to 30 hours of childcare a week.
Like the existing offer, depending on your provider, these hours can be used over 38 weeks of the year (during school term time), or up to 52 weeks if you use fewer than your total hours per week.
How to apply for help with childcare for working parents
For working families in England, with children aged 2 - 4.
Check you’re eligible
1. Find out more about eligibility at www.gov.uk/check-eligible-free-childcare-if-youre-working.
You must live in England to apply for this childcare support. The amount of childcare support you can get depends on several factors.
When can I apply?
2. You need to apply the term before you want to take up a place.
For example, if you want to take up a place for your child from September, you need to apply during the summer term (1 April-31 August).
How do I apply?
3. If eligible, you'll get an online childcare account and a childcare code.
Give the code to your childcare provider(s)
4. Give the code in your childcare account to your provider(s) along with your National Insurance number and your child's date of birth.
Your childcare provider will check your code is valid - you can't take up your place without it.
Reconfirm
5. You must confirm your details are up to date every 3 months or your code will expire.
Sign into your childcare account to confirm your details.
You will receive a reminder to do this.