Kell Bank CE Primary School, Masham, Ripon

Admission to School

Admission to the Kell Bank C.E School is open to all from the academic year corresponding to the child becoming five years old to the age of eleven, regardless of ability, faith, race or gender.

Since September 2004, the school has been able to admit all rising fives in September and although we encourage one intake at this time, we can offer a flexible program allowing new pupils to participate full time or part time depending on the wishes of the parents and needs of the child.

The usual catchment area for the school includes the villages of Healey, Fearby and the more outlying areas of Colsterdale, Leighton and Moorheads.

Applications are also welcome from outside this area, and may be agreed, dependent upon places being available.

Parents and children are most welcome to visit the school prior to application. Please telephone for an appointment.


Procedure for first admission

Parents wishing to enrol their son/daughter for first admission to this school are requested to write to the Head Teacher or telephone the School Secretary with relevant details (date of birth etc.) well in advance of the child’s expected entry to school. This is important as it means that at the relevant time all entry forms and details can be sent to you. It does not prevent you from changing your mind about admission in the mean time. Visits may be arranged at this time.

In the November/December prior to admission the following September, the school will send out the following details to parents who have their child’s name on the list:

• Application Pack (Issued by Northallerton Area Education Office, to schools for them to circulate to parents who have registered an interest in their school - also includes a list of all schools)
• Parental Choice Form (which enables you to make a list of three schools in a priority choice order)
• Kell Bank School Prospectus
• Kell Bank School Application form

The deadline for the receipt of applications to the Local Authority for the following school year is early December. North Yorkshire offers a place in the school of choice subject to availability in April/May. The school may not contact parents further until this offer is received. When the offer is made, we ask parents to return the School Application Form to the school, which accompanies the Prospectus. This enables the school to make arrangements to welcome the children. At this stage all new parents are invited into school to a presentation and welcome evening. This is followed by an induction programme for the children through June and July. This includes visits to the class and other activities. We do all we can to make the child’s first experience of school, a comfortable and happy one. We hope parents feel welcome to use this time to share with us information which will assist us.


Admission of children later in school because of transfer from other areas

Parents who are transferring from another area can access a prospectus of schools in the area from the local Authority. Application forms for places are available from the LEA or the School. Parents are asked in the first instance to provide the school with details prior to requesting a place from the LEA. Please feel welcome to contact the school to request a visit. Applications are made by returning the form to the LEA who will arrange admission, subject to places being available. We welcome prior visits by the children to school.


Appeals

Where places are not available, an independent appeals procedure is open to the parent. The LEA will provide parents with details at the time.


The School Admission Forms and details

The admission form itself is vital as it forms a record to assist with the pastoral care of your child. It also asks for medical or health details, including allergies, which may be helpful if we have to deal with emergencies, or simply help us to understand the child’s concerns.

Please ensure that details about who to contact in emergency etc are accurate, and updated if they alter. In response to equalities regulations the form has been extended to include racial origins etc. This is to ensure the school is providing fairly and equitably for all the children.

You will also be asked to complete a Home School Agreement and an ICT indemnity form.


Transfer to Secondary School

Parents may express a preference for a particular secondary school. No secondary school will be able to turn away applicants if it is still has places available.

We are most anxious that the move from primary to secondary school is achieved happily and with minimal worry. We have very good transfer arrangements with all the secondary schools in the area which offer familiarisation visits and staff visits to us.