Admissions Policy

Issue Date : January 2023

Reviewed By: Full Governing Board

Review Date: January 2024

Rationale

Roots Federation aims to provide a fair and transparent admissions system.

This policy applies to;

Heath Lane Nursery School
Muriel Green Nursery School
Oxhey Nursery School

At all schools within Roots Federation we work to a sessional allocation of up 13 children in a key group in line with the Early Years Statutory Framework. Children can start at Heath Lane Nursery School the term after their third birthday. We accept admissions across the year spaces permitting (Autumn, Spring and Summer Term).

Timetable

Parents/carers are able to contact the Nursery at any time to book a visit and make enquiries about their needs. An admissions waiting list is kept of all interested families.

For the main September start parents are able to apply from the first working day in February and the application forms can be handed in at the Nursery office or by attaching to an email.

The timeframe and application dates for the main September intake will be published on the school website under Admissions. For the Spring and Summer intake (spaces permitting) parents will need to contact the Nursery office directly.

Information

Hertfordshire County Council has a duty to provide access to 15 hours of free early education for all three and four year olds in Hertfordshire, who wish to take up their entitlement.

All Nurseries within Roots Federation operates a single intake to the nursery in September, enabling children to take up their nursery place in the September following their third birthday. Subject to availability, children may be invited to attend the nursery sooner than this date in the term after their third birthday.

At Oxhey Nursery School and Muriel Green Nursery School 15 hour place can be split by attending two full days and a half day, each side of the week. We offer Monday and Tuesday all day with Wednesday morning or Wednesday afternoon and Thursday and Friday all day. We reserve the right to change this offer, always check with the nursery for current availability.

At Heath Lane Nursery School 15 hour place can be split by attending two full days and a half day, each side of the week. We offer Monday and Tuesday all day with Wednesday morning or Wednesday afternoon and Thursday and Friday all day. We reserve the right to change this offer, always check with the nursery for current availability.

Criteria for Admissions to Muriel Green Nursery School

Parents must apply direct to the Nursery school for a place and places will be allocated following the school’s criteria. Preference is given to children whom require 30 hour places.

• Rule 1 – Children looked after - Children looked after by the local authority, including children who were previously looked after but were then adopted (or became subject to a child arrangements order or a special guardianship order.

• Rule 2 – Medical or Social Needs - Children for whom it can be demonstrated that they have a particular medical or social need to come to Muriel Green.

• Rule 3 – Linked Provision – Children attending Muriel Green day care will qualify under this rule.

• Rule 4 – Siblings - Children who have a sibling on the roll of Sunshine Room or day care at the time of application.

• Rule 5 – Child’s nearest school - Children for whom it is their nearest nursery class. This measure will be obtained using google maps. The route with less miles will be used.

In the case of tiebreak admission rules are applied in order. If more children qualify for a school place under a particular rule than there are places available, a tiebreak will be used. That means the next rule will be applied to those children. If more children qualify under Rule 5 than there are places available, priority will be given to those who live nearest to the school.

At Muriel Green and Oxhey children in the Day Care will move into the Nursery Class for their free nursery education unless there are exceptional circumstances agreed by the Headteacher and Day Care Manager.

Oversubscription Criteria

Should the Nursery be oversubscribed the following criteria for admissions will apply in the following order of priority:

• Rule 1 - Children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs which names the school will be allocated a place in accordance with section 324 of the Education Act 1996. Also children with an EHC (Education, Health and Care) Plan that names the school.

• Rule 2 - Children looked after and children who were looked after, but ceased to be so because they were adopted (or became subject to a child arrangements order or a special guardianship order).

• Rule 3 - A child ‘at risk’ (or the sibling of a child ‘at risk’) who is the subject of an inter-agency child protection plan.

• Rule 4 - Children already attending Muriel Green.

• Other applicants where the following criteria are considered to determine priorities:

• Children for whom it can be demonstrated that they have a particular medical or social need to go to the school.

• Children who have a sibling at the school at the time of application, unless the sibling is in the last year of the normal age-range of the school. Note: the ‘normal age range’ is the designated range for which the school provides.

• Any other children

Waiting List

• When a parent or carer makes an enquiry to the School and there is not a place available, the school’s
waiting list procedure will be explained and the parent will be asked to complete a ‘continuing interest’
form. A place in the Day Care setting may also be offered subject to the availability of funded places.
• The waiting list is managed in accordance with the criteria set out above with priority given to children
already at Muriel Green. The school may advise the parent of an approximate timescale before a place
becomes available. However this cannot be guaranteed and does not form a binding agreement.
• When a place becomes available the parent or carer who is highest on the waiting list will be contacted
by telephone and in writing requesting confirmation that the place is still required. If no
communication is received from them within twelve days the next person on the waiting list will be
contacted and offered the place.
• The parent will then be asked to agree a start date and complete the forms

Allocation of Nursery Places

Sessions are allocated on a first come first served basis.

Allocation of Nursery places will be decided by the Headteacher and Office Manager. Priority will be given to
those who are taking up their full entitlement of funded hours.

In the event of spaces becoming available they will be offered to the next applicant on the waiting list.

Parents of children with a 30 hour place must confirm their eligibility by going on to the HMRC website. It is
the parents’ responsibility to obtain a valid code prior to their child’s first term. They must then ensure that they
reconfirm their eligibility when required.

Where a family is no longer eligible the extended hours will be withdrawn.

For up-to-date information on eligibility please visit www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/parents.

Right of Appeal

As nursery provision is non-statutory, the Nursery’s decision will be final and there is no formal right of appeal.

Oxhey Two Year Old Provision and Muriel Green Day Care

Oxhey Two Year Old Provision and Muriel Green Day Care does not follow the above admission criteria when
offering fee paying places. Places are offered subject to availability and where space isn’t currently available a
continuing interest form will be completed by the parent or carer. A waiting list is maintained and parents
contacted if or when the space they require becomes available. Priority will be given to maximise occupancy. E.g.
If 3 sessions are available priority will be given to a child requiring 3 sessions over a child requiring only 2. The
decision will be made by the Headteacher and/or Day Care Manager alongside the office manager. There is no
right of appeal.

Admissions Policy