Admissions

Introduction

The governing body of Grove School applies the regulations on admissions fairly and equally to all those who wish to attend this school. The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 introduced a new framework for school admissions as of September 2000. This policy conforms to the regulations that are set out in that Act and also further explained in the statutory School Admissions Code of Practice and the statutory Appeals Code of Practice.

Aims and objectives

• We are an inclusive school and welcome children from all backgrounds and abilities.
• All applications will be treated on merit and in a sensitive manner.
• The only restriction we place on entry is that of number.
• Our pupil admission number (PAN) in each year group is 90.
• If the number of children applying for entry exceeds the places available, we enforce the procedure set out below in order to determine whether a child is accepted or not.

It is our wish to allow parents the right to have a place at the school of their choice. However, this is not always possible, due to the excess demand on the school places available.

The standard number (Pupil Admission Number)

The standard number is the number of children the school can accommodate. The standard number for our school is 90 per year group.

Admission Criteria

Grove Schools criteria for admissions are below:

1. Looked after or previously looked after children.
2. Siblings who currently attend Grove School.
3. Distance (children who live nearest the school measured in a straight line).

Children with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

Any child with an Education, Health and Care Plan is required to be admitted to the school that is named in their plan. This gives any such child overall priority for admission to the named school. This is not an oversubscription criterion.

Definition of looked after or previously looked after children

Looked after children or children who were previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, residence or special guardianship order. This includes any child/young person who is subject to a Full Care Order, an interim Care Order, accommodated under Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989, is remanded or detained into local authority accommodation under Criminal Law or who has been placed for adoption. Birmingham City Council’s School Admissions and Pupil Placements Service will obtain names of all children who are looked after, within the appropriate age range, from the Looked After Children Education Service (LACES). Places for these children will be considered in accordance with the school’s admission criteria. In the case of previously looked after children, a copy of the adoption order, residence order or special guardianship order and a letter from the local authority that last looked after the child confirming that he or she was looked after immediately prior to that order should be submitted with the application form.

Distance – home to school measurements

Distances are calculated on the basis of a straight-line measurement between the applicant’s home address and a point at each school. Birmingham City Council uses a computerised system called Cartology, which measures all distances in metres. Ordnance Survey supplies the co-ordinates that are used to plot an applicant’s home address within this system.

Shared responsibility

Where parents have shared responsibility for a child, and the child lives with both parents for part of the week, the child’s main residence will be determined as the address where the child lives for the majority of the week. Parents may be requested to supply documentary evidence to support the address used.

Separating ’final qualifier’ applications (e.g. blocks of flats,etc)

In a very small number of cases it may not be possible to decide between the applications of those pupils who are the final qualifiers for a place, when applying the published admission criteria. For example, this may occur when children in the same year group live at the same address, or if the distance between the home and school is exactly the same, for example, blocks of flats. If there is no other way of separating the application according to the admissions criteria and to admit both, or all of the children, would cause the legal limit to be exceeded, the local authority will use a computerised system to randomly select the child to be offered the final place.

In year admissions

Applications made outside the normal admissions round (in-year admissions) should be made directly to the school. Parents/carers can apply for a place for their child at any time. Grove Schools in year application form can be found at Grove School admissions form. 

On receipt of an in-year application, the school will notify the local authority of both the application and its outcome, to allow the local authority to keep up to date with figures on the availability of school places in Birmingham.

• If a place is available, this can be offered
  • Grove School will complete a home visit to meet with the child and parents / carers
    • A visit will be arranged for the child and parents / carers to visit Grove School
      • A start date will be agreed with Grove school and the parents / carers
• If a place is not available, the parent/carers will be informed of their right of appeal against the decision not to admit. The child will be added to the waiting list, in accordance with the oversubscription criteria at Grove School, and the LEA will be provided with details of the name of the child, date of birth, home address, a contact telephone number and details of the current/previous school.
• For those parent/carers who are not offered a place at any of their preferred schools, the admission authority will offer the nearest school with a vacancy. If that school has its own admission authority, School Admissions staff will consult with that school or academy before an offer is made
• Children who live in Birmingham whose parents have refused the school place offered may be issued with a formal notice advising of their legal requirement to ensure that their child is in receipt of a suitable education whether in school or otherwise.

Admission appeals

If we do not offer a child a place at this school, it is because to do so would prejudice the education of other children by allowing the numbers of children in the school to increase too much.

If parents wish to appeal against a decision to refuse entry, they can do so by applying to the LA. An independent appeals panel then meets to consider all appeals by parents who have been refused a place at our school and who wish to appeal against this decision. An appeals panel’s decision is binding for all parties concerned. If the appeals panel decides that we should admit a child to our school, then we will accept this and continue to do all we can to provide the best education for all thearrangements are set out in the Code of Practice on School Admissions Appeals.

Applying for a place in reception

Children in Birmingham can start school (Reception) in the September after their fourth birthday.

Example: If your child was born between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022, they will be able to start school in September 2026

Responsibility for applying online

Birmingham City Council’s School Admissions and Fair Access Service publishes information on their website, informing parent/carers on how to start their child at school. However, the responsibility for applying online for a child to start reception class, remains solely with parent/carers.

When to apply

Parents can apply for a place in the Autumn of the year before their child turns 4 years of age. It is important that you apply for a place as soon as possible:

• attendance at a nursery class does not give a child automatic priority for a place
• do not wait until your child is five years old, or your preferred school may already be full

Applications to Join Grove School Reception 2027 can be made online via Birmingham LEA.

Nursery admissions:

Children can start Grove nursery the term after their third birthday.

The admission criteria for nursery is:

• Children with an Education Health Care Plan that names Grove School
• Looked after or previously looked after children
• Siblings (brother or sister who will still be in attendance in the academic year of joining)
• Distance (children who live nearest the school).

Part time places available are:

• Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning.
• Wednesday afternoon, Thursday and Friday.

Admission forms are available below to download via our website. 

Full time places are available if parents meet the eligibility set out by the government.

Transfer to secondary schools

For information on your child transferring from Grove School to a secondary school please click here, for the Birmingham City Council Secondary Transfer information.