Admission Information
Choosing a school for your child is one of the most important decisions you will make. Our aim is to provide you with as much information as possible so that you can make the right choice for your child.
You are welcome to make an appointment to come and visit the Academy at any time to look around and meet the staff.
Please contact the Academy office to arrange a visit.
Telephone: 01924 469578
Email: office@orchardprimaryacademy.org
Admission to Pre-School (2 year olds)
Government funding is available to qualifying families for 15 hours per week places for 2 year olds.
Please click here to find out if you qualify
Parent funded places are also available. All fees are payable in advance.
If you would like to apply for a place at our nursery for your 2 year old child please complete our application form or call into the school office to collect a form.
Admission to Nursery Class
Government funding for free Early Years Education is available for 15 hours a week for all children from January, September or April following their 3rd birthday.
30 hour funded places are available for working parents who meet the government criteria. All fees are payable in advance.
If you would like to apply for a place at our nursery for your 3 year old child please complete our application form or call into the school office to collect a form.
Arrangements for admission at age 4 (Reception Class)
The academy trust plans to offer 52 places at age 4. This is the current admission number for the academy (AN). However, we are willing to take over PAN to increase the current number to 60.
Application Process
Orchard Primary Academy is a non-selective, independent, state funded Academy, serving the local community first.
The Academy has agreed a priority admission area (PAA) with Kirklees Local Authority. The local authority will coordinate normal round applications for entry at age 4. The Academy will coordinate their own in-year applications and will participate with, in-year fair access protocols.
a) Arrangement for applications for places at Orchard Primary Academy will be made in accordance with Kirklees local authority coordinated admission arrangements, as published in the LA’s booklet “Guide for Parents about Admissions to Primary Schools”.
b) In order to be eligible for a place parents must make the academy one of their three choices in the local authority primary common application form (PCAF). This is now an online ONLY.
For further guidance on local authority admission processes Click Here
c) If the number of preferences received is less than the AN then all preferences will be met.
d) If there are more applications than places available at the Academy the oversubscription criteria will be applied.
e) It is very important that the form is returned by the closing date because forms received after this date will be treated as ‘late’. Late applications are not dealt with until all those received on time have been through the application.
Notification of a Place
The formal offer of a place will come from the Local Authority, on behalf of the academy, who will write to parents allocating a single primary school/academy to their child.
Waiting Lists and Appeals
Where, in any year, the Academy receives more applications for places than there are places available, a waiting list will operate throughout the year and be maintained by the academy.
Children’s position on the waiting list will be determined solely in accordance with the oversubscription criteria.
When places become vacant they will be allocated to children on the writing list in accordance with the oversubscription criteria above. Waiting list for each year will end on the last day of the summer term.
Unsuccessful applicants have a right of appeal to an independent appeal panel. Please contact the academy to find out how to appeal.
Appeal type | Appeals received by | Appeals will be heard by |
---|---|---|
Starting school for the first time | Wednesday 15 May 2024 | Wednesday 17 July 2024 |
Transfer to junior/middle school | Wednesday 15 May 2024 | Wednesday 17 July 2024 |
Transfer to high school | Friday 12 April 2024 | Monday 17 June 2024 |
Tie Breaks
If children of multiple birth (twins and triplets) are tied for the final place in any of the categories listed above, those siblings will be admitted over AN as permitted by infant class size rules.
In other cases, where the offer of places to all the applicants in any of the categories listed above would still lead to oversubscription, the available places will be offered to those living nearest the Academy. Straight line distance will be used to measure.
Distance is measured in a straight line from a child’s home address to the school/academy. Measurements are calculated using seven-figure grid references for each address taken from Ordnance Survey ADDRESS-POINT® data, this is supplied by Kirklees. This grid reference relates to a point that falls within the permanent building structure corresponding to the address. The boundary of the building structure for the address is derived from Ordnance Survey Land-Line data.
For smaller, residential properties the grid reference denotes a point near the centre of the building. For larger properties, like schools with, for example, multiple buildings and large grounds, the grid reference relates to a point inside the main addressable building structure. The distance calculated is accurate to within 1 metre.
In Year Admissions
Kirklees Pupil Admissions provides a suitable application form for parents to complete when applying for a place for their child.
Parents/carers should make both in year applications and normal round applications for the 2024/25 school year onwards on the Kirklees parent portal.
Special Education Needs
The academy will admit children with Statements of Special Educational Needs or an Education Health and Care Plan where the Academy is named in the statement or plan.
Parents of potential children are invited to meet with the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO), in order to discuss their child’s needs and how these could be met by the academy. The academy ensures that admission procedures and arrangements are accessible to disabled applicants and do not treat vulnerable children less favourably.
Deferred Entry for Infants
Parents offered a place in reception for their child have a right to defer the date their child is admitted, or to take the place up part-time (hours to be agreed with the school) until the child reaches compulsory school age.
Places cannot be deferred beyond the beginning of the final term of the school year for which the offer was made.
Children reach compulsory school age on the prescribed day following their 5th birthday (or on their fifth birthday if it falls on a prescribed day). The prescribed days are 31 August, 31 December and 31 March.
Admission of Children Outside Their Normal Age Group
Parents may request that their child is admitted to a year group outside their normal age range, for instance where the child is gifted or talented or where a child has suffered from particular social or medical issues impacting his or her schooling.
All such requests will be considered on their merits and either agreed or refused, on that basis. If a request is refused, the child will still be considered for admission to their normal age group.
The process for requesting such an admission is as follows:
With the application, parents should request that the child is admitted to another year group (state which one), and the reasons for that request.
Parents may choose to submit any evidence in support of their case with the application, for instance from a medical practitioner, Principal etc.
Some of the evidence a parent might submit could include:
- whether the child is ‘summer born’ and is seeking admission to a year group other than reception (or is seeking admission to reception rather than year 1)
- information about the child’s academic, social and emotional development
- where relevant, their medical history and the views of a medical professional
- whether they have previously been educated out of their normal age group and
- whether they may naturally have fallen into a lower age group if it were not for being born prematurely.
The school will consider each case on its merits, taking into account the individual circumstances of the request and the child’s best interests.
We will also ensure the parent is aware of whether the request for admission out of age group has been agreed before final offers are made, and the reason for any refusal.
Requests for admission out of the normal year group will be considered alongside other applications made at the same time.
Parents whose children are ‘summer born’ (i.e. those born between 1 April and 31 August) may choose to enter reception either in the September following their child’s fourth birthday or the following September.
Notification of a Place
The formal offer of a place will come from the Local Authority, on behalf of the academy, who will write to parents allocating a single primary school/academy to their child.
Oversubscription Criteria
If the number of applicants exceeds the number of available places, the following priorities will apply:
- Children in public care (looked after children) or a child who was previously looked after or adopted children
- Children who have a brother or sister attending the Academy at the time of admission. (Sibling rule).
NB: (brother or sister means; a child with at least one natural or legally adopted parent being the same person). Original documents may be requested by the Admissions Manager.
- Children who live in the Academy’s PAA (proof of address and residency may be requested by the Admissions Manager)
- Children who live outside the Academy’s PAA
Note:
Distance is measured in a straight line from a child’s home address to the school/academy. Measurements are calculated using seven-figure grid references for each address taken from Ordnance Survey ADDRESS-POINT® data, this is supplied by Kirklees. This grid reference relates to a point that falls within the permanent building structure corresponding to the address. The boundary of the building structure for the address is derived from Ordnance Survey Land- Line data. For smaller, residential properties the grid reference denotes a point near the centre of the building. For larger properties, like schools with, for example, multiple buildings and large grounds, the grid reference relates to a point inside the main addressable building structure. The distance calculated is accurate to within 1 metre.
Appeals can be made online at www.kirklees.gov.uk/education/admissions