Admissions

Admissions Procedures and Policy

Your first point of contact with Oaks Primary Academy is usually at the School Office, which is open between 8.30am – 3:45pm daily and you can contact us on 01622 755960 or via email at CLO@oaksprimaryacademy.org.uk

  • In Year Casual Admission:If you wish your child to start at Oaks Primary Academy as a result of moving into the area and/or transferring from another school for educational reasons, please place your child on the list for future entrants by completing an In-Year Admission Form. Details of how to apply are available from our office staff. Kent County Council’s website on casual admission can be found here.
  • For new Reception children: A KCC ‘Reception Common Application Form’ will need to be completed (this is an online process), expressing Oaks Primary Academy as your first preference.  The office staff will be pleased to answer any questions you may have. Kent County Council’s website on School Admission can be found here.

Before making an application for an in-year admission you will need to contact the Academy directly and arrange a visit and meeting with one of our senior members of staff. If we have places available, you are more than welcome to have a look around the academy and we can answer any questions you may have. Please contact us to make an appointment.

We have specific dates and times for Open Days each year for our new reception intake – we publish dates online in September/October time for the following year’s intake into Reception. All forms should be completed and returned to the school by the deadline indicated on the form.

View a poster from KCC about your child starting school here.

Allocation of Places

Places will be allocated according to the published criteria in priority order

  • Children in Care and previously Looked After Children
  • Children of Oaks Primary Academy Teaching Staff
  • Sibling
  • Health and Special Access Reasons
  • Distance

Parents do not legally have to send their children to school until the term after they are five. We find in practice, due to effective transition procedures, children younger than five cope well in their first year with our wonderful staff who have particular skills with our youngest children.

Older children are admitted to the school if we have a vacancy in their year group.

If you have any difficulty completing the KCC forms please do not hesitate to contact the school office, where we will do our best to help.

Appeals

If you have not been offered a place, the law entitles you to appeal against that decision to an Independent Appeal Panel. This panel is completely independent of the school and the Local Authority. All appeals will be heard online, which has the advantage that your appeal can be heard from your home or place of work.

If you wish to appeal for a place in Reception, year 1 or year 2, please use this link to complete your appeal online.

If you wish to appeal for a place in years 3 – 6 please use this link to complete your appeal online

Please do NOT use ANY other appeal form or send your form to your local authority. It is suggested that you download the explanatory booklet about appeals which you should read before you complete the appeal form. Those applying for a place in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2 are advised to read the section in the appeal’s booklet which refer to Reception, years 1 and 2.

Appeals Explanatory Booklet - Education Appeals

You should include any evidence or supporting material with your appeal form and you MUST give the grounds for your appeal at the time you lodge your appeal form. Your appeal form will not be accepted unless you state the grounds for your appeal. You may appeal for more than one school.

Please note that the online form will ask you to download two utility bills dated in the last THREE months. If you do not have access to a scanner, please take two photographs with a mobile phone and upload the photographic files.

Full details about the hearing will be sent to you with your invitation to the hearing.

If you wish to contact the clerk – email : clerk@educationappeals.com

Timetable for Appeals

Last day for lodging appeal forms for a place in RECEPTION to start in September 2024

4pm on Thursday 16 May 2024 to guarantee that your appeal will be heard in the first tranche of appeals. Appeals lodged later may not be heard until the second tranche which could be in September 2024. You MUST state the reasons for your appeal and supply any documentary evidence at this stage.

The stage 1 part of the hearing (with other parents present) will take place on

1 or 2 July 2024

Part 2, the individual private hearings will take place on

1 or 2 July 2024

Invitation letter giving details about your hearing will be sent by the Clerk to the Independent Appeal Panel

At least 10 school days before the stage 1 hearing.

Any additional supporting evidence

24 June 2024. You are advised that additional paperwork received on the day of the appeal hearing will not be taken into account. Please provide the Clerk with FIVE copies of any additional evidence. All such evidence to be submitted in A4 format and NOT bound, but may be stapled on the top left hand corner. Paperwork submitted with your appeal form does not need to include 5 copies. These should be sent to PO BOX 367, Cuffley, Herts, EN6 4XZ.

Letter from the Clerk informing you of the decision of the independent appeal panel

Due to the high number of appeals held at this time, this may not be sent until up to 2 weeks after the last hearing for the school.

Mid-Term Applications Appeals

Last day for lodging appeal forms following a refusal for a place an ‘in year’ or ‘mid-term’.

You must lodge the appeal form within 20 school days upon receipt of your letter of refusal. You MUST state the reasons for your appeal and supply documentary evidence at this stage. Appeals are held within 30 school days of receipt of the appeal form.