Applying for a nursery place in a school

Most community primary schools have a nursery attached to it and where this is the case they will have an agreed admission limit. Applications should be made directly to the school and your child would be admitted when a place becomes available, for up to five sessions per week on a part time basis.

Admissions are considered as follows:

1. “looked after” children and children previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, residence order or special guardianship order.  A looked after child is a child who is in the care of a local authority as defined by section 22 of the Children Act 1989;
2. exceptional medical or social reasons, which should be supported by a qualified professional directly involved with the child and will be considered by the Authority's medical or psychological advisers. Only where it is agreed that admission to that school is essential will an exception to the general policy be made.
3. siblings, with preference to older children according to their date of birth, preference will only be given to those with siblings who will still be in attendance at the date of admission; and
4. all other applicants, with preference to older children according to their date of birth.

In each category, the tie-break will be the shortest measured walking distance as measured by a Geographic Information System from the child’s home to the main entrance of the school using public roads and recognised footpaths. It should be noted that when measurements involve flats in the same block, the distance will be to the entrance of each individual flat.  In using distance as a tie-breaker, should there be more than one applicant for a final place living an identical distance from the school in question, the Authority will use the random allocation facility within the Tribal “Admissions and Transfers System pupil data base which is used for allocations.

Admission to a nursery class does not guarantee admission to the main school, application for which must be made in accordance with the admissions policy for community primary schools.

Please note the statutory right to appeal does not  apply to admissions to nursery classes.

Admissions to nursery classes in faith schools are dealt with by the school. For more information please contact the school directly.

If your child gets a place in a nursery class it does not guarantee that he/she will have a place in the school. You must apply again for admission to reception class. If your child does not attend nursery, or has a place in another early years setting this will not affect his/her chance when applying for school admission.