St Matthews Catholic Primary School

The Governing Body of St. Matthew’s R.C. First School, Prudhoe is the Admissions Authority for this school. The Admissions Policy Criteria will be applied on a First Preference basis. The Governing Body intends to admit up to 18 pupils to the Reception year group in September 2008. This number will apply to the Reception Year and to every other year in the school. There is one intake each year and children will start their schooling in the September of the school year during which they are five. Where there are insufficient places available to meet all parental preferences, priority will be given to applications in the following order:

Children who are baptised as Catholics or have been formally received into the Catholic Church and whose home address is within the parish boundaries of Our Lady & St. Cuthbert Parish and who are Looked after Children (Children in the care of the Local Authority)

2. Children who are baptised as Catholics or have been formally received into the Catholic Church and whose home address is within the parish boundaries of Our Lady & St. Cuthbert Parish.

3. Children who are baptised as Catholics or have been formally received into the Catholic Church, whose home address is outside of the parish boundaries of Our Lady & St. Cuthbert Parish, but who regularly worship in the Church of Our Lady & St. Cuthbert Parish.

4. Children who are baptised as Catholics or have been formally received into the Catholic Church, whose home address is outside of the parish boundaries of Our Lady & St. Cuthbert Parish and who have Special Educational Needs or other special circumstances.

5. Children who are baptised as Catholics or have been formally received into the Catholic Church, whose home address is outside of the parish boundaries of Our Lady & St. Cuthbert Parish with a brother or sister already attending the school at the time of admission.

6. Children who are baptised as Catholics or have been formally received into the Catholic Church, whose home address is outside of the parish boundaries of Our Lady & St. Cuthbert Parish who do not have a brother or sister already attending the school at the time of admission.

7. Children who have not been baptised as Catholics nor have been formally received into the Catholic Church, but who are Looked After Children (Children in the care of the Local Authority).

8. Brothers and sisters of children of other Christian denominations and who will already be attending the school at the time of admission.

9. Brothers and sisters of children of other Faith traditions and who will already be attending the school at the time of admission.

10. Children who have not been baptised as Catholics nor have been formally received into the Catholic Church, but who have Special Educational Needs or other special circumstances.

11. Children of other Christian denominations who do not have a brother or sister at the school.

12. Children of other Faith traditions who do not have a brother or sister at the school.

13. Other children.

If applicants are seeking admission under any of criteria 1 to 6 above, they will be asked to provide evidence that the child has been baptised as a Catholic or has been received into the Catholic Church.

If applicants are seeking admission under any of criteria 8, 9, 11 or 12 above, they will be asked for a letter of support from their minister or Faith leader, or suitable equivalent. For Christian applicants a baptismal certificate should be provided wherever possible.

Parents are asked to note that admission to the Nursery unit is no guarantee of entry into the main school.

Where there are places available for some, but not all applicants within a particular criterion, distance from home address to school will be the deciding factor, with preference being given to those whose home address is nearest to the school, when measured by the shortest walking route.

Where a parent has been notified that a place is not available for a child, every effort will be made to help the parent to find a place in a suitable alternative school. Parents who are refused a place have a statutory right of appeal. Further details of the appeals process are available by writing to the Chairman of Governors at the school address.

It is very helpful to have an early indication of the number of children to be admitted to the Reception class in the following September. However, it must be stressed that formal written applications for admission must be made on the form provided by the Local Education Authority and returned to them by the stated date. Places will then be allocated by strict application of the above criteria, with no reference to the date of application. Parents will be notified as to whether or not their child has been allocated a place by May .