Little Bells Admission Policy
A child can be admitted into Little Bells at the start of the term in which your child has their third birthday( Rising Three); this is chargeable per hour. The term your child turns three they will be entitled to 15 hours funding. (From September 2017 this will increase to 30 hours for children who are eligible).
Consistent attendance on a regular basis is expected of all children.
It should be noted that admissions to any nursery even those attached to a school does not guarantee admission to the reception class of a particular school. Parents must follow normal procedures when applying for full-time education.
Little Bells operates 5 days per week. Parents wishing their child to attend our nursery setting must obtain and complete an application form and return it to the school office when your child is 2 or as soon after as possible. The school will endeavor to inform parents by letter of the outcome of their application at least one term before admission. If a child is offered a place parents must confirm acceptance by the date stipulated by the school. The final decision on when the child is admitted, and the allocation of sessions rests with the headteacher and governing body of the school.
The LA has delegated the admissions of nursery children to the governors who will consider applications in age order with the oldest children being given priority.
Admissions Criteria
N.B. These criteria will only apply if we are oversubscribed and therefore cannot admit all of the children whose parents are applying for a nursery place.
The Governors will consider all applications in accordance with the following criteria set out in priority order. Length of time on any waiting list will not be taken into account.
Category A
In this category examples of both special educational and social need are given. There is no priority within the category but governors will take into account the severity of the child’s needs using the examples given when deciding places within this category. Children with multiple needs will be given priority.
Examples of special educational needs (in no specific order) might include children with:
- Children on the Child Protection Register, those deemed by Social Services as children at risk, or in local authority care
- Emotional and behavioural problems
- Hearing difficulties
- Lack of personal interaction and stimulation
- Physical disabilities
- Speech and language problems
- Visual difficulties
- Children who are referred by the education psychological service.
Category B
In this category children with social needs may be admitted. Social need should be based on the information gained by the school as part of the application process. Children with multiple needs will be given priority.
Examples of social need which may be considered (in no specific order) might include:
- Children who were multiple births (twins, triplets)
- A child with a confined playspace (those living in a bedsit, top floor flat, hostel, caravan, mobile home or children with no garden)
- A child with a parent living alone
- A child in a large family (4 or more children)
- A child with parents under 20 years of age
- A child in sole care of grandparents
- A child who has two or more siblings under 4 years of age
- A child of parents with disabilities or a child who has siblings with disabilities
- A child who is cared for by a “Young Carer”.
- Children from minority ethnic groups particularly those for whom English is an additional language.
- A child who is gifted who lacks social interaction
Category C
A child with a brother or sister (including children living as siblings in the same family unit) who requires a significant amount of additional support.
A child who at the time of application has a brother or sister (including children living as siblings within the same family unit) on the school roll who will still be attending the school when the younger sibling joins the nursery.
Category D
Children who have already attended a maintained nursery in another LEA.
Category E
Remaining places will be allocated based on proximity to the school using the shortest radial route (straight line distance).