Admissions

The admissions limit for the 2005/2006 academic year has been established at 30. Children are admitted to the reception class at the beginning of the year in which they reach their 5th birthday.

Children whose 5th birthday falls between 1st September and the end of the following February will join the reception class full time at the start of the autumn term. Children whose birthday falls between 1st March and 31st August will have the choice of attending full or part time until half term. From half term attendance will be full time.

Prospective parents are warmly invited to visit the school. Appointments can be made by contacting the school administrator or headteacher. Applications for a place at St James must be received by 13th January 2006. All offers of places will be made by the Pupil Admissions Office on Tuesday March 21st 2006.

We hope that all new entrants will be able to visit the school at least twice in the term before they are due to start. After a short preliminary visit accompanied by parents, the children spend afternoons in the reception class where they are introduced to the routine of the school.

Further visits can be made, accompanied by parents, on Friday afternoons after the initial visit.

The school governors have decided upon the following criteria for admission to the school.

1. Looked after children at the request of the Local Authority.

2. Children whose Statement of Special Educational Needs names St James CE Primary School.

3. All children living within the catchment area of the school have an automatic right to a place at the school up to the year group size of 30.

4. Children from outside the catchment area who have siblings in the school will receive favourable consideration in their application providing there are places available.

5. Two places will be reserved for children whose parents wish them to attend the school through a 'church' place providing that the number of in-catchment children permits.

6. Exceptional medical or social need. (Supporting evidence will be required).

7. Any other applications received from parents who live outside the catchment area will be considered by the governors who will take into account the distance from home to school and ease of travel to and from school.
Parents who wish to apply for a 'church' place at the school should do so in writing to the Chairman of Governors. An application form can be obtained from the school office for this purpose. The applicant's own minister will be contacted with respect to the application.

When necessary a committee of the Governor's meets in January of the year prior to admission of children to the reception class to consider all applications. Parents of those children to be admitted are offered the place in writing in March. Should parents move out of the catchment area or further away from the school after accepting a place their application may have to be reviewed. Parents who disagree with a decision made by the Governors have the right to appeal. The Diocesan Director of Education is responsible for organising the appeals procedure. The address of the Diocesan Director of Education is: The Diocesan Office, The Palace, Hereford, HR4 9BL.