Admissions

Linthorpe Community Primary School Admissions Arrangements for School Year 2024-25

The Legacy Learning Trust is the Admissions Authority for the school. 

These arrangements are established in accordance with Annex 1 of the Academy’s Supplemental Funding Agreement. 

The Local Authority (LA) Admissions Team, Middlesbrough Council, will co-ordinate all admissions and this is referred to as the coordinated admissions scheme. 

All Reception admissions will be requested via the common admissions form. 

Admission Number  

LCPS School has an agreed Published Admission Number (PAN) of 90 per year group. The school will accordingly admit 90 in the relevant age groups if sufficient applications are received.  All applications will be admitted if 90 or fewer apply.  

Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan  

Any child with an Education, Health and Care Plan (“EHCP”) is required to be admitted.  This gives such children overall priority for admission to the named academy.  This is not an over-subscription criteria.  

Admissions Over-subscription Criteria  

If LCPS is oversubscribed, after the admission of students with Statements of Special Educational Needs or an Education Health & Care Plan where a particular school is named in the Statement or Plan, the over subscription criteria will be applied as follows, in priority;  

1. i) Children who are a ‘looked after child’ or a child who was previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, child arrangements, or special guardianship order including those who appear [to the admission authority] to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted. A looked after child is a child who is (a) in the care of a local authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see the definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989).See note 1 
2. ii) Children permanently resident in the Admission Zone, i.e. the address at which the child is registered for child benefit, who express a preference for that school (proof of address may be required). See note 2 

iii) Children who will have a brother and/or step brother and/or sister and/or step sister or the child of the parent/carer’s partner living at the same address attending the school in the September of admission. See note 2  

iv)  Children of staff at the academy may be given priority  

1. a) Where the member of staff has been employed at the academy for two or more years at the time when the application for admission is made. 
2. b) The member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage. 
3. v) Children with exceptional social and / or medical reasons for attending the school, which in the latter circumstances are substantiated by the LA medical advisors. A letter from the child’s GP or other relevant professional such as a social worker must be submitted with the application. Social reasons do not include domestic arrangements such as parents working commitments or childcare arrangements. Only exceptional circumstances such as parents who have a disability, which may mean their child must attend a particular school, will be considered. (In this instance a letter from the parent’s GP or other relevant professional such as a social worker must be submitted with the application) See note 3 
4. vi) Children who reside closest to a particular school, measured in a straight line. 

The measure will be taken from the front door of the child’s home to the main entrance of the school.  

When distinguishing between children within the same criteria the child with the highest second criteria will be admitted i.e. a child living within the admission zone who has a brother or sister attending the school in the September of admission will have a higher criteria than a child who lives in the admission zone but does not have a brother or sister attending the school.  

Middlesbrough Local Authority/co-ordinated admissions scheme operates an equal preference admissions system, where all preferences are considered equally against the admission criteria. The student is then offered a place at the school with the highest parental preference that can be met.  

Action will be considered should false information be submitted in order to secure a place at a particular school.   

Operation of waiting lists  

Subject to any provisions regarding waiting lists in the coordinated admission scheme, the School will operate a waiting list. Where in any year the School receives more applications for places than there are places available, a waiting list will operate until the end of the first school term. This will be maintained by the School and it will be open to any parent to ask for his or her child’s name to be placed on the waiting list, following an unsuccessful application.  Places from the waiting list will be offered in the priority order set out above, not in order of the date applications are made.  

Late applications  

Application forms received after the closing date will be considered alongside those applicants who applied on time wherever possible.  Where it is not practicable because places have already been allocated, or are shortly to be allocated, then late applications will be considered only after those applicants who applied by the published closing date.  

In Year Admissions  

The Local Authority, Middlesbrough Council, will co-ordinate all admissions.  The LA school admissions team will liaise between the School and parents.  Parents can contact the LA Admissions team on 01642 201889.  The LA team will liaise with parents to complete relevant paperwork and to confirm the offer to give details as to why it has been denied.  

If a place is offered, parents are asked to contact the School again so that the relevant paperwork can be completed and a start date negotiated.  

If a place is not available then parents will be advised accordingly and given the right of an appeal.  

Fair Access Protocols  

The School works in accordance with the in-year Fair Access Protocols held by the Local Authority; should a vulnerable child within the protocols require a place at the School, they will take precedence over any child on the waiting list.  

Tie breaker  

If it is necessary to use a tie-breaker to distinguish between two or more applications, a distance criterion will be used. We will give priority to the applicants who live nearest to the school as measured by a straight line from the front door of the home of the applicant to the front door of the main reception of the school site that was on the original application for a place.  

Appeals 

The Legacy Learning Trust as the Admission Authority delegates the responsibility for appeals back to the Academy/Local Authority.  Parents who wish to appeal the decision of the admissions authority to refuse their child a place at your School may apply in writing to the School, using the Appeals Form below, where appeals will be heard by an independent panel. 

In the event of you taking your Year 7 admission allocation to appeal. 

We cannot offer a bespoke report writing in support of each appeal.  We are happy to provide any information already held on our system and offer support on where to seek advice.  

However, pupils’ wellbeing is of paramount importance and we endeavour to do all we can to support what some pupils experience as a challenging process in their transition journey.  This comes in the form of bespoke pastoral handovers to secondary colleagues and specialised Care Team support with extended transition, ensuring the pupils’ wellbeing is central to the process.  

The timetable for primary school admissions, including appeal dates, can be found on the Middlesbrough Council Website. 

Please see the Policy below for Additional Notes 

Admissions to the nursery 

The Governing Body have adopted the LA criteria for admitting children, namely: 

1. Children aged 4+ within the admission zone for the school. 

1. Children aged 4+ who live outside the admission zone, but have a brother or sister attending the school at the time the nursery child will be admitted. 

1. Children aged 3+ who were eligible for and have attended the school 2 Year Old Provision (Little Learners) for at least 1 term. 

1. Children aged 3+ within the admission zone for the school. 

1. Children aged 3+ who live outside the admission zone but will have a brother or sister attending the school at the time the nursery child will be admitted. 

1. Other children aged 4+ 

1. Other children aged 3+ 

Parents wishing to add their child’s name to the list should contact Mrs. Snook, the Office Manager or, download and complete the application form below. Please note, proof of address will be required along with the child’s birth certificate. 

This form must be completed and returned to school by 31st March to enable staff to prepare for September admissions. If you miss the date then unfortunately, we will only contact you if there are any spaces. 

While most children transfer directly from nursery to school, we have to advise parents that a nursery place does not guarantee a place in the school.    

Admissions to Nursery Plus (30 hours) 

To find out if your child is eligible: 

www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/free-childcare-and-education-for-2-to-4-year-olds 

To register: 

Register your interest in accessing 30 hours, when you apply for a Nursery place, by contacting Mrs Snook, the school office manager. 

Admissions to Linthorpe Little Learners 

To find out if your child is eligible: 

 www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/free-childcare-and-education-for-2-to-4-year-olds 

When can eligible children start their free place? 

Please apply online at www.middlesbrough.gov.uk/fsd and follow the link for Achieving 2 Year Olds 

The timetable for primary school admissions, including appeal dates, can be found on the Middlesbrough Council Website. 

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