- Latest consultation on this policy: 2 November 2020 to 13 December 2020
- Policy determined on: 10 February 2021
- Policy determined by:
Executive Board external link (amended on 27 July 2021 to ensure compliance with the 2021 Admissions Code which comes into force on 1 September 2021)
This admissions policy applies to
Rothwell Victoria Junior School.
Children with a school named on their Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan
Children with a school named on their Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan will be given a place in that school.
How we prioritise school places (oversubscription criteria)
If a school has more applications than places (called being oversubscribed) we will give children priority for places in the following order:
Priority 1 – Looked after and previously looked after children
A looked after child is defined as a child who is (one of the following):
A previously looked after child is any child who was previously looked after but stopped being so because they were (one of the following):
- adopted, including those adopted from state care outside of England
- became subject to a Special Guardianship order
- became subject to a Child Arrangements Order
You must submit evidence of your child's previously looked after status (a copy of the court order or adoption birth certificate and evidence of being in local authority care or a letter from the state) with your application.
Priority 2 – Children with exceptional social or medical needs that can only be met at a specific school
This priority is a request for admission to one specific school because your child has exceptional needs that can only be met at that school. It must be supported by professional evidence.
All schools in Leeds have experience of supporting a wide range of social and medical needs. However, in exceptional cases, there may be compelling reasons why a child needs to attend one specific school. This priority can be requested in these cases, and applicants will need to clearly demonstrate the connection between your child's need, the specific school and how that school can meet your child's needs in a way that no other school can. It must be supported by professional evidence. A panel of council officers will review your request for this priority.
A request would not be granted where a parent wishes for their child to attend a school based on the child's abilities, because their friends attend the school or due to childcare arrangements. Any request for this priority must outline why the child's circumstances are exceptional, and why only one school is suitable.
You can find out more about this priority on our check if you need to submit extra information page.
You must provide the following information with your application:
- your child's name, date of birth and address
- the name of the one school you are requesting this priority for
- what precise support your child requires due to their specific needs
- why only this school can provide the support needed to meet your child's needs and no other can
- what extra support or funding your child currently receives
- you must attach supporting evidence from an independent professional, such as a medical specialist which confirms exactly what your child's needs are and why, in their view, only one school can meet that need. Without this evidence, your child's needs cannot be considered
Cases will be considered individually and where necessary in consultation with the school that you've requested.
Priority 3 – Children who have a brother or sister attending the school
To get this priority, the sibling must:
- live the same address as the child applying
- still go to our school or Cockburn Haigh Road Infant School (the linked Infant school) when the child applying starts (in September)
- be a full, half, step or foster sibling (this priority does not include cousins or other family members sharing a house)
Priority 4 – child who attends Cockburn Haigh Road Infant School which is our linked feeder infant school
Priority 5 – Children who live in the catchment priority area for the school
We have a defined catchment priority area. You can:
If you live in the catchment area your application will receive a higher priority at that school than applicants who live outside the catchment area. Living in the catchment area does not guarantee a place at the school.
Priority 6 – other children, by straight line distance
If none of the other priorities apply, your application will be considered under this priority.
If children meet the same priority (tie break)
In any priority, if children meet the same priority but there are not enough places left for all of them, the places will be allocated based on distance from the school. For example, if there are 4 places remaining at the school and 5 children all live in the priority catchment area, the 4 priority catchment children living closest to the school will be allocated those places.
If two or more children live exactly the same distance from the school (i.e in a block of flats) and there are not enough places for both, we will draw lots. This will be witnessed by an independent person.
We will not draw lots for twins or other multiple birth siblings from the same family. Where they are tied for the final place we will admit them all, exceeding the Published Admissions Number for the school.
How many children are admitted to a school (Published Admission Number)
Our Published Admission Number (PAN) is 45 places and this is the number of places the school can admit in Year 3 in 2022.
Application process (normal round)
When applying to start in the entry year, all applications are coordinated by local authorities across England.
You apply to your home Local Authority (the council who empty your bins) by the closing date of 15 January 2022. All offers will be made by your home Local Authority on offer day of 19 April 2022 (being the first working day after 16 April).
Applying after the national closing date
If you apply after the deadline we cannot guarantee to consider your preferences at the same time as those received on time.
Until 12 February, all applications submitted or changed will be treated as if they were on-time.
After 12 February, any applications submitted or changed will only be considered after allocations have been made for all on-time applications, unless there are exceptional reasons for the late application agreed by us.
All applications submitted after 28 February are considered late and won’t be allocated a school place until after places have been allocated on national offer day.
Definitions and special circumstances
Distance measurements
We use a straight line distance system. The program measures the straight line distance from a defined point on the main school building to a defined point on your home address.
The point we measure to at your home address is set by the Local Land and Property Gazetteer (LLPG), which provides coordinates for every property. If we are not able to match your address with the LLPG then we will identify a point at the centre of your home.
Temporary school sites
If a school is based on a temporary site for any reason we will base our distance measurements on the school's permanent site.
Which address to use
When you apply you must use the child's permanent address, where they usually live with their parent or carer. You must not use any other address on your application.
Using the address of a childminder, a relative or renting a property for a short period of time in order to secure a school place is considered as a fraudulent application. We will investigate all queries about addresses and we could change the school place offer.
If we find out that an intentionally misleading or false address has been given to get a school place, the school place may be withdrawn even if the child has already started at the school.
If the child lives in different properties (shared care)
Only one address can be used on your application for a school place, and this should be the address where the child lives for the majority of the week. In cases of equal shared care, both parents must agree which address will be used on the application.
If there is no agreement, Leeds City Council will decide which address will be used, based on where the child spends the majority of the school week. If the child spends equal time with each parent, we will use the address where the child is registered with their doctor.
If parents disagree on an application
Only one parent can submit a school place application and we cannot resolve disputes between parents – only a family court can do this.
When you apply, you are confirming you have the consent of all other persons to make the application. If we receive two conflicting applications, both applications will be placed on hold (and school places may have to be offered to other applicants) until we have received (either):
- written evidence that everyone holding parental responsibility agrees the application
- a Court Order specifying who should apply
We may be required to allocate a place at the closest school to the child's home with spaces remaining available if the child needs a school place offer.
Moving home
When we make an offer, we assume your address will be the same when you take up the school place in September. If you are planning to move house, you must still use your current address on your application.
As soon as you move house, you must tell us your new address and provide proof of the house move, including evidence you've permanently left the old address and evidence of your the new address. We may have to change the school place offered to you. Find out more on our making changes to your application page.
Accepting offers
You will need to accept the offer of a school place directly with the school. This will not affect your position on any waiting list for any other school or your right to appeal.
If you refuse the offer, or do not accept the offer within a reasonable time, your place may be withdrawn. This will leave your child without a school place in September.
Waiting lists
After offers have been made in April, you can ask for your child to go on the waiting list for any school.
If you ask that your child is added to a waiting list after offer day and a place becomes available before the new school year starts, your child will automatically be allocated the place at your higher preference school. We will also automatically withdraw the place at a lower preference school to give it to another child.
We hold waiting lists for all the year groups as follows:
- your child's place on a list is decided by the oversubscription criteria in the school's admission policy (the rules for prioritising places)
- each time a child is added or removed, the list is ranked again and your child can move down if another child meets higher criteria
- the waiting list will close at the end of the academic year (July 2023). You must reapply for a new school place to be on the list the following year
- looked after children, previously looked after children and those allocated a place at the school in accordance with a Fair Access Protocol take priority over those on a waiting list
Admission out of chronological age
You can ask for your child to be admitted outside of their normal age group, for example if your child is gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health.
You still need to apply for a place in their normal age group, in case you don't get permission. You must apply by any deadline date and we recommend you send the request to each school you intend to apply for, as it is possible for one school to refuse a request that another school agrees.
To apply, you must attach to your application form a request that explains:
- why admission out of normal year group is being requested
- the year group you wish your child to be allocated a place
If you have it, you can also attach any available evidence that supports your request.
Leeds City Council will consider each application individually and make a decision on the basis of the circumstances of the case and in the best interests of the child concerned.
This request is separate to any decision about offering a place at a preferenced school. There is no right of appeal against a decision relating to admission out of chronological age. All decisions about offering places are made by applying the admission policy oversubscription criteria to the child's application.
Moving schools (in-year applications)
Leeds City Council delegates the responsibility for in-year admissions to the schools. Requests to join a school in-year, or for Reception places after the start of the school year are considered by the school.
To apply for a place, an online in-year application form should be completed and returned to Leeds City Council. The application will then be sent on to the school(s) you have applied for and the school will decide whether they can offer a place.
If the school refuse to offer a place, the school will confirm this in writing to you, explaining their reasons, and will confirm that you have the right of appeal. The school should aim to notify you of the decision in 10 school days but must tell you the decision in writing within 15 school days.
Your child will be added to the school's waiting list automatically for that school year. Where any vacancy arises, places will be offered from the waiting list based on the oversubscription criteria within this policy.
Find out more including any current vacancies in Leeds schools.
Appeals
If you have not been offered a place at a school you applied for, you have the right to appeal.
Appeals submitted for a junior school place in the normal round will need to be received by the council's deadline to guarantee being heard before the new school year starts.
Find our appeals timetable containing deadlines and timescales.
Appeals against a decision for an in-year application can be submitted any time during the academic year. Appeals will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal request being received (where the application for a place has been refused and the right of appeal has been issued).
Fair Access Protocol
All schools must take part in the Fair Access Protocol arrangements. It is a legal requirement and the protocol applies to all Leeds schools. The protocol operates outside of the Admissions policy.
The policy applies to in-year applications and the aim is to make sure the most vulnerable children who do not have an accessible school place, are offered a place at a suitable school as quickly as possible. It also ensures that no school (including those with places) is asked to take a disproportionate number of vulnerable children.
If you think the Protocol applies to your child's application, you will need to provide us with some further information.
Read our Fair Access Protocol.
Catchment area maps
Check your catchment area
You can also check our catchment area maps for entry in:
