Admission & Appeals

Guidance on Admissions to Church Schools

Officer to consult for admissions and appeals: Chris Shelley

The responsibility for setting admissions criteria in a Voluntary Aided school rests with the governing body. In Voluntary Controlled schools the Local Authority (LA) is the admissions authority. 

Admission Policies

Aided schools are now required to consult with the Board of Education before going to statutory consultation. Policies should be sent to Chris Shelley at Church House. Schools will not normally need to consult for the following two years if they have undertaken consultation for the admission year 2010 and are not proposing to make any changes to their determined policy. 

The document, Membership of Churches Together in Greater Manchester and Locally, indicates the range of churches to be considered when applications are received for admission on the grounds of church attendance.

School Admissions Code of Practice

The Government introduced a new Code of Practice in February 2009. This Code applies to all admissions from September 2010. Download the Code here.

Coordinated Admissions

Details are set out in DfES/031/2003 and are available on Governornet.

Coordinated admission is the government statutory initiative which provides an easier process for allocating each child a place at either a primary or secondary school. Voluntary aided schools will still retain their admissions role but the LA is responsible for contacting parents with the offer of a school place. Aided schools are advised to liase with their LAs so that the most efficient method of ensuring parents have the appropriate information can be achieved.

Please contact Chris Shelley for any further information.

PDF Resources

Appeals

School Admission Appeals Code of Practice

A new Code of Practice came into force in 2009. Download the code here.

Appeals Panels

Aided school governing bodies are responsible for setting up independent appeals panels, including advertising for and training panel members. In practice most LAs will undertake this work for the schools.

School Admission Appeal arrangements should be as simple and clear as possible. Training is available to schools on the appeals process and the organization and presentation of the school’s case. Contact Chris Shelley for further information and advice.

Useful links

• www.governornet.co.uk
• Department for Education and Skills