Admissions – Holy Cross Catholic Primary School

Welcome to our Admissions area

The governing body of Holy Cross Catholic Primary School are consulting on their proposed admission arrangements for the 2022-23 school year. The proposed changes from the current arrangements, are that In-year applications will be sent to the school, rather than to Swindon Borough Council (as the school will not be part of the Council In-Year Coordinated Scheme) and a new In-Year application has therefore been added to the arrangements.

You are invited to provide any comments you may wish for consideration on the proposed arrangements by 7th January 2021. Final arrangements will be determined by 28 February 2021 and will appear on the school website by 15 March 2021.

Comments should be sent to Mrs Mercer at admin@holycross.swindon.sch.uk or Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, Queen’s Drive, Swindon, SN3 1AR.

Admissions Proposed 2022-2023 Policy
Holy Cross Catholic Primary Academy serves the catchment area parishes of Holy Cross Swindon, St Peter’s West Swindon, St Joseph’s Wroughton and Sacred Heart Royal Wootton Bassett.

Pupils are normally admitted in the September of the school year after their fourth birthday. Parents have the right to defer their child’s admission to school to the start of any subsequent term which occurs after the child has passed his or her fifth birthday.

It is expected that the families of all applicants who are not Roman Catholics, or committed members of another Christian denomination, will understand the benefits of a Christian education and will support the Catholic Ethos of the school.

Order of Priority
In the event of oversubscription (i.e. more applications than available places) applications will be ranked, in accordance with the order of priority listed below:

1. Looked After Children or previously Looked After Children who are Baptised Catholic.
2. Baptised Catholic children living in the catchment area parishes.
3. Baptised Catholic children living outside the catchment area parishes

In Categories 1-3 and 6, a Baptismal certificate must be available for inspection.

4. Looked After Children in Care or previously Looked After Children
5. Children who are Catechumens and children who are a member of an Eastern Christian Church.
6. Any other children

Tiebreakers
Priority within each category will be given, in order to:

a. Children who have a sibling at the school at the time of admission;

b. Children selected by Random Allocation i.e. drawing of lots supervised by someone independent of the school.

Applications for Reception

For applications starting in September, please complete the local authority form which is accessible by registering and applying online via Swindon Borough Council’s ‘Citizen Portal’. The deadline date for applications is mid-January. If you wish to apply on faith grounds please also complete our supplementary form, returning it to the school with your child’s baptism certificate.

In-Year Transfers

If your child is school age and your child is not attending a school or you would like them to transfer to another school in Swindon, you need to make an in-year application. If you wish to apply please complete our In Year Application Form returning it to the school by email.

The Local Authority (LA) operates a fully coordinated in-year process. This means that the LA coordinates all applications made during the academic year for in year admissions for all year groups. This includes applications received for all schools in Swindon, including Community, Voluntary Controlled, Foundation, Voluntary Aided, Academy and Free Schools. Swindon LA considers applications and makes offers every 30 school days, usually once a month. They are not considered in date order.

How does it work?

All preferences are considered equally, at the same time, and the LA therefore ensures that the highest preference is offered wherever possible.

If the school you are applying for requires a Supplementary Form or a Baptismal Certificate you must submit this at the time of the in-year application form. If you do not do so, this may affect whether your child is eligible for the school place. Please print, and complete our school’s supplementary form and return it to the school.

If the LA is unable to offer any of your preferences, it will offer an alternative school place if your child does not already attend a Swindon school and you have provided evidence of your Swindon address. This will be the nearest school with a place available.

The applications are considered in process periods and a calendar of dates is available on the Council’s website as to when applications are considered and offers are made. On the whole, offers are made every 6 school weeks.

Decision letters will be emailed on the published offer date for each round. If you have not received your email following the 3 working days after the offer date please then contact the Admissions Team at Swindon Borough Council. Please note that your child will continue to remain on the waiting list until they are offered a placement.

Useful Resources

Our School’s Admission Policy

Catchment Area Map

Information on transferring to a Swindon school

Swindon Borough Council school admission arrangements & Annual Report

Primary School Places and Admissions

Secondary School Admissions Information

Supplementary Form

Applying for a school place online: parents must apply online using the Swindon Portal to register their child for a school place

Parent Guide to using the online portal for applications: no paper copies are available for completion as all applications must be completed using the SBC online portal – please read this guide and then register on the Swindon Borough Council ‘Citizen Portal’ site for an account which will then allow you to make applications online.

Waiting Lists

A waiting list for those still seeking a place in Reception will be held until 31st December. If places become available before the end of December, offers will be made in accordance with oversubscription criteria. Parents/Carers will be asked to confirm whether or not they wish their child’s name to remain on the admissions waiting list. Each child added to the list will be ranked in accordance with our oversubscription criteria.

In-year waiting lists will be held for children whose parent/carer is seeking a place until 31st August. Please advise Swindon Borough Council whether you wish your child’s name to remain on the waiting list for the next academic year.

Each child added to the list will require the waiting list to be ranked in accordance with the oversubscription criteria and so a child’s position on the list may change. Parents should also advise the schools where your child is on the waiting list, whether they wish their child to remain or be removed from the list.

Appeals Procedure

Parents/carers have the right to appeal against the refusal by the Governors to admit their child, and should put their appeal in writing to the Clerk to the Governors at the school within twenty days of receiving the letter of refusal. Appeals will be arranged by the Local Authority (Swindon Borough Council). More information can be found on the School Admission Appeals webpage.

SBC Appeal Guide for Parents

Applying for a school place with an EHCP or SSEN

Please note: If your child does not have an education health and care plan (EHCP), even if they are being assessed for special educational needs or an EHCP, you should submit a preference for a school place via the Swindon Borough Council admissions portal on their website.

Most children with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), can be taught in mainstream schools. However, if your child has more complex needs it may have been agreed that they require a place at a special school or school with a special centre. You can discuss your child’s needs with their current educational provision (nursery school etc), their SEND case worker and any other professionals involved in their case. If your child has an EHCP by 30 September in the year before they start school then parents should contact the Special Educational Needs Assessment Team on SENAT@swindon.gov.uk.

If your child does not have an EHCP by the 30 September then you should apply through the mainstream process. If your child receives an EHCP after 30 September then their reception placement will be considered as part of the process for issuing the EHCP.

Swindon Borough Council have provided a booklet (see link below) which is designed for parents/carers, head teachers, teachers, and staff in schools and agencies in the Borough. It is a summary of the in-Borough continuum of provision available for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN). The booklet contains descriptions of the current admission criteria for each Special Resourced Provision (SRP) in a mainstream school and the special schools. This will enable parents, professionals and pupils to make informed choices about provision in the Borough.

Should a child with an EHCP request a placement, schools can either confirm the placement or raise concerns about the school’s ability to meet the pupil’s needs with the LA via the SENRAP Team who will consult with various agencies to decide what additional support may be required to support the child’s needs. In cases where it is demonstrated that the pupil’s needs cannot be met within the school, the pupil may be referred to alternative provision.