School Admissions

Download the full Information and Admission Arrangements Booklets

School Admissions Booklet 2013-14 13-14_School_Admissions_Booklet_en.pdf

 

Nursery Education

From September 2004, every child is statutorily entitled to receive six terms of part time nursery education prior to the start of compulsory education. This is offered in a mixture of approved settings, including Playgroups, Cylch Meithrin, Schools and Day Nurseries.

To determine your nearest approved setting please contact the Powys Children’s Information Service on 0845 1303839 (Cymraeg) or 0845 1303637 (English).

All approved settings have the direct involvement of a qualified teacher. If the setting of your choice cannot offer the maximum entitlement of 10 hours of early years education, you may choose to access the balance of your hours with an alternative provider. You do not have to access your full entitlement.

You may also like to look at our sections on:

• Foundation Phase
• Early Years Learning & Activities

If parents/carers live outside Powys and wish to send their child to a school within this Authority before the child is five years old, they should inform the Education Authority in whose area they live before applying for admission to the Powys primary school concerned. 

If your child attends a nursery or pre-school class linked to an infant or primary school and you wish your child to attend that school, you will still have to apply for a place in the main school when your child is due for full time admission. Having a place at a nursery or pre-school class does not guarantee a place in the main school at age 4 and the Authority’s criteria for school admissions will apply if the demand for Reception Class places exceeds the number of places available.

 

Primary Schools

Unless other acceptable arrangements are made a child is required to attend school full-time from the beginning of the term following the fifth birthday.  In Powys a child may be admitted to school, at the request of the parents/carers, on either a full or part-time basis at the beginning of the term in which the fourth birthday is achieved, provided that the school has sufficient resources of staff, accommodation and equipment. This means that:
 
If a child is 4 between                      They can start school in
1st September and 31st December         the Autumn Term
1st January and 31st March                    the Spring Term
1st April and 31st August                       the Summer Term

 

Criteria for Admission to a Primary School

Children normally attend the primary school that has traditionally taken children from the area where their parents/carers are now living but parents/carers can obtain information about alternative schools, and places at such schools will be offered unless demand for admission at any particular school exceeds the number of places available.

Arrangements for admission to secondary schools are normally made between the primary school attended by the child, the secondary school and the Local Authority in the Autumn and Spring Terms preceding the date of transfer. 

Where schools are over-subscribed it is a requirement of the School Standards & Framework Act, 1998 that criteria are published which are then used to determine admissions.

The Authority has adopted, in order of priority, the following criteria:

1. Looked after children in Powys;
2. the presence of an elder brother or sister in the school when the home remains in the allocation area of the school which applied in the year the elder child was first admitted and that the older sibling* will be on roll when the younger sibling is admitted;
3. the location of the home if it is within the current allocation area of the school;
4. any special medical and social needs relating to the individual child where attendance at a particular school is essential;
5. the presence of a brother or sister at the school when the family home is not in the original or catchment area for the school and the older sibling will be on roll when the younger sibling is admitted;
6. the location of the home in relation to the school and alternative schools if it is outside the current allocation area of the school.

* Sibling includes half-siblings, step-siblings, and foster children living in the same household

Within each criterion, places will be allocated on the basis of the shortest walking distance to the school, in strict order of distance, up to the number of places available, the highest priority being given to the pupil living closest to the school.

The Local Authority and the Governing Bodies of Voluntary (Aided) Schools (as the admission authorities) support the principle of meeting parental preference wherever and whenever possible. However, it must be recognised that it may not be possible to comply with parental preference if a school, in admitting a child, will be in breach of the requirement to comply with the statutory duty in respect of infant class sizes.

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Infant Class Sizes

The Government is committed to ensuring that no child aged 5, 6 or 7 years will be in a class where the teacher:pupil ratio is more than 1:30. The infant class size initiative was a phased programme and from September 2001 the limit has applied to Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 classes thus ensuring that all children up to the age of 7 will be taught in classes containing no more than 30 pupils.

In terms of appeals against the admitting authority refusing admission to a pupil under Infant Class Size legislation, please click here

 

Choice of Schools

By law parents/carers have freedom to express a preference as to the school to which they wish their child to be admitted.  In expressing their preference, parents/carers will normally wish to take into consideration the Authority’s policy concerning the provision of transport. 

For more information please see our School Transport section

School Modernisation

The Authority commenced a major strategic review of school provision in the Autumn Term 2008.  The review commenced in the Ystradgynlais area in the 2008-09 school year; in the John Beddoes and Gwernyfed areas in the 2009-10 school year and in the Llanidloes/Bro Ddyfi areas in the 2010-11 school year.  In addition, a review looking specifically at Welsh-medium provision in the Newtown, Welshpool and Llanidloes areas began in November 2010.  A review in the Welshpool area will commence in 2011-12.

The remaining 7 catchments will be subject to review in the 4 years commencing September 2012. 

For more information please see our School Modernisation section

 

Special Medical and Social Needs

Parents/carers should note that any special medical and/or social factors must be made known at the time of their original application if they wish these to be considered in the event of over-subscription.  Parents/carers will need to obtain supporting evidence from a registered health professional such as a doctor or social worker.

 

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Application for Admission to Primary Schools

To apply for a place for your child at a school you must complete an application form.  A copy of the Authority’s Information for Parents Booklet, which contains a Primary School Admission Form and School Transport Application Form, is available from the Headteacher of all schools maintained by the Authority.

Alternatively you can download the form below.

This form should be completed as soon as possible after October 2010 but no later than 21st January 2011 for admission during the 2011-12 academic year and forwarded to:

The Admissions & Transport Team,
Schools Service,
County Hall,
Llandrindod Wells,
Powys, LD1 5LG. 

Click here to find details of Primary Schools in Powys

 

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Applications for Admission to Secondary Schools

Arrangements for admission to secondary schools are normally made between the primary school attended by the child, the secondary school and the Local Authority in the Autumn and Spring Terms preceding the date of transfer. 

The Secondary School Admission Form is included in the Authority’s Information for Parents Booklet or alternatively can be downloaded below

This form should be returned to the primary school no later than 19th November 2010. The form gives parents/carers the opportunity to indicate why a particular preference has been expressed, together with any special educational needs their child may have.

It is vitally important that this form is completed and returned to the primary school since legislation indicates that those parents/carers who have not expressed a preference for a secondary school (even if they live well within the allocation area of the school) will be placed in the lowest priority order when allocating secondary school places.

If you do not complete and return a Secondary School Admission Form within the published timescale, you may jeopardise the chances of your child gaining a place at the school of your choice.

Headteachers of primary schools will be able to indicate to parents/carers the secondary school which children would normally attend, although parents/carers may express a preference for any school of their choice. Pupils must reside in the allocation area of the feeder primary school to be in the allocation area of the secondary school.  Parents/carers should be mindful of this with regard to the provision of school transport.

Click here to find details of Secondary Schools in Powys

 

Feeder Primary Schools

Parents/carers should note that admission to a particular primary school does not guarantee a place at the secondary school which has traditionally received pupils from that primary school.  In the event of over-subscription of the secondary school, the Authority's published criteria in respect of admission to a school will be applied.

 

Attendance at Schools not Maintained by the Powys Authority

Parents/carers by law have freedom to apply to another local authority for their child to attend a school maintained by that Authority. If a place is allocated, Powys will not normally provide or meet the costs of transport or residence.

The Authority does not have any arrangements whereby children may attend schools not maintained by a local authority, except for special education. If, therefore, it is your wish that your child attends such a school you should approach that school directly.

 

 

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Useful Links:

Find a School

School Websites

Term Dates

School Meals

Transport

Clothing Grants

 

Admission Forms :

Admissions Booklet 2013-14

If you would rather receive an admission form by post, please complete the following and click 'Send Form!':

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