The guiding principles of the school admission policy are, first, to enable as many children as possible to attend their parents' preferred school; second, to enable each school to serve its local community; third, to assist parents in planning their children's education; fourth, to ensure that all children are allocated a school place. Therefore, the aims of the admission criteria are:

• To be easy for parents and schools to understand and operate;

• To enable siblings, as far as possible, to attend the same school (or infant and junior schools on the same site);

• To enable children, as far as possible, to attend their local school and thereby minimise long or difficult journeys to school;

• To promote high educational standards through curricular and pastoral continuity between schools serving the same catchment areas;

• To promote school involvement with the local community.

Our Admissions Policy is based upon Hampshire County Council’s Admissions Policy for Community and Voluntary Controlled Primary, Infant and Junior Schools 2006 – 2007.

A more detailed version of this policy is given in the County Council’s information booklet for parents 'A Parent’s Guide To Applying For A School Place In Hampshire – September 2006 – 2007'.

Admission Criteria

Hampshire County Council is the admission authority for all community and voluntary controlled primary and secondary schools. The admission arrangements are determined by the County Council, after statutory consultation. Governing bodies are responsible for implementing the admission arrangements on behalf of the County Council.

The published admission number (PAN) for Elson Junior School for 2008 - 2009 is 90.

The County Council will consider first all those applications received by the published deadline of midday on Friday 20th November 2009. Late applications (i.e. those submitted after midday 20th November 2009) will be considered after all on-time applications have been fully processed unless exceptional circumstances merit earlier consideration. Letters to parents offering a primary school place will be sent by the County Council on 22nd January 2010.

For the main admission round, all on time preferences will be considered simultaneously and ranked in accordance with the admission criteria. If more than one school can offer a place, the parent’s highest stated preference will be allocated.

If the school is oversubscribed, places will be offered in the following priority order, with first preference applications submitted by the published deadline taking initial priority. Second preferences and late applications will be allocated using the same criteria.

• Children who are in the care of a local authority or provided with accommodation by that authority in accordance with Section 22 of the Children Act 1989. (A letter from the Children’s Services Department confirming the child’s status must be provided.)

• Children who have a serious medical, physical or psychological condition which makes it essential that they attend the preferred school rather than any other. (Appropriate medical or psychological evidence must be provided in support.)

• Children living within the catchment area of the school who at the time of application have a brother or sister (including children living as siblings in the same family unit) on the roll of the preferred school or our linked infant school Elson Infant School which is on the same site and who will still be on roll at the time of the sibling’s admission.

• Children living within the catchment area of the school who live closest to the school, based on a straight line measurement from the school to the entrance of the property.

• Children living outside the catchment area of the school who, at the time of application, have a brother or sister (including children living as siblings in the same family unit) on the roll of the preferred school or our linked infant school Elson Infant School which is on the same site and who will still be on roll at the time of the sibling’s admission.

• Children living outside the catchment area of the school who live closest to the school, based on the measurement of a straight line from the school office entrance to the entrance of the property.

N.B. School Closures statement

In the event of a school closure, pupils from the closing school may be given a higher priority (for example this might include the child being treated as in-catchment) within the admission criteria for any school nominated as the receiving school. Specific arrangements will be determined by the Local Authority in accordance with School Admissions Code and will be published at the time for the specific schools affected by a particular closure.

Siblings

Criteria 3 and 5 includes children who at the time of application have a sibling for whom the offer of a place at the preferred school has been accepted, even if the sibling is not yet attending.

Distance Measurement

If the school is oversubscribed from within any of the above categories, a straight line distance (see 4 and 6 above) will be used to prioritise applications. This method of prioritising admissions will also apply to any ‘school specific’ criterion unless otherwise stated in the school brochure. Schools will specify in their prospectus the point(s) at the school from which measurements will be taken. Where straight line distance is used, Hampshire County Council’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) will be used to confirm the order of applicants. Distances to multiple dwellings will give priority to the ground floor over the first floor and so on. On individual floors, distances will be measured to the stairs leading to the communal entrance.

Multiple births

If the last pupil to be offered a place within the school’s published admission number (PAN) is a multiple birth or same cohort sibling, any further sibling will be admitted, if the parents so wish, even though this may raise the intake number above the school’s PAN. The PAN will remain unchanged so that no other pupil will be admitted until a place becomes available within the PAN.

Pupils with statements of special educational needs

The governing body will admit any pupil whose final statement of special educational needs names the school.

In-Year Fair Access placements by the local authority

The local authority must ensure that all pupils are placed in schools as quickly as possible. It may therefore sometimes be necessary for a pupil to be placed by the local authority, or a local placement panel acting on behalf of the authority, in a particular school even if there is a waiting list for admission. Such placements will be made in accordance with the provisions of any protocol approved by the Admission Forum, based on legislation and government guidance. If an admission through In-Year Fair Access raises the number on roll above the PAN, no further pupil will be admitted from the waiting list until a place becomes available within the PAN.

Waiting List

When all available places have been allocated, schools will operate a waiting list. Parents who wish their child to be included on the waiting list must inform the school in writing. Any places that become available will be allocated according to the criteria of the admission policy with no account being taken of the length of time on the waiting list or any priority order expressed as part of the main admission round. In-year fair access and school closure arrangements will take priority over the waiting list.

The waiting list will be reviewed and revised:-

• Each time a child is added to, or removed from, the waiting list;

• When a child’s changed circumstances will effect their priority;

• At the end of each school year, when parents with a child on the waiting list will be contacted and asked if they wish to remain on the list for the following school year.

Parents may keep their child’s name on the waiting list of as many schools as they wish and for as long as they wish.

Legislation

This policy takes account of all relevant legislation including the legislation on sex discrimination, race relations, and disability, together with all relevant regulations and the School Admissions Code (DCSF 2007).