As a Foundation School our Admission Authority is the Governing Body

The schools Admission Authority sets the admission policy every year. You can read our schools admission policies below.

• In-year applications to start at our school between September 2023 and July 2024 - read our 23/24 policy.
• Applications for Reception places September 2024 read our 24/25 policy.

Deighton Gates Primary School Admission Policy 2023/24

This admissions policy applies to Deighton Gates Primary School.    We are a Foundation school and our school’s admission authority is the Governing Body.

Children with a school named on their Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan

Children with a school named on their Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan will be given a place in our school.

How we prioritise school places (oversubscription criteria)

If our school has more applications than places (called being oversubscribed) we will give children priority for places in the following order:

Priority 1i – Looked after and previously looked after children

A looked after child is defined as a child who is (one of the following):

• in the care of a local authority
• being provided with accommodation by a local authority’s social services (see the definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989)

A previously looked after child is any child who was previously looked after but stopped being so because they were (one of the following):

• adopted, Including from state care outside of England
• became subject to a Special Guardianship order
• became subject to a Child Arrangements Order

You must submit evidence (to your home local authority) of your child’s previously looked after status (a copy of the court order or adoption birth certificate and evidence of being in local authority care or a letter from the state) with your application. 

Priority 2 – Children with exceptional social or medical needs that can only be met at our school

This priority is a request for admission to our school because your child has exceptional needs that can only be met at our school. It must be supported by professional evidence.

All schools in Leeds have experience of supporting a wide range of social and medical needs. However, in exceptional cases, there may be compelling reasons why a child needs to attend our school. This priority can be requested in these cases, and applicants will need to clearly demonstrate the connection between your child’s need, our school and how our school can meet your child’s needs in a way that no other school can. It must be supported by professional evidence.

Our Governing Body will review your request for this priority.    Cases will be considered individually

A request would not be granted where a parent wishes for their child to attend a school based on the child’s abilities, because their friends attend the school or due to childcare arrangements. Any request for this priority must outline why the child’s circumstances are exceptional, and why only our school is suitable.

You can find out more on Leeds City Council’s check if you need to submit extra information page. 

You must provide the following information to our school at the time you apply:

• your child’s name, date of birth and address
• What precise support your child requires due to their specific needs 
• Why only our school can provide the support needed to meet your child’s needs and no other school can
• What extra support or funding your child currently receives 
• You must attach supporting evidence from an independent professional, such as a medical specialist which confirms exactly what your child’s needs are and why, in their view, only our school can meet that need.  Without this evidence, your child’s needs cannot be considered.

Priority 3 – Children who have a brother or sister attending our school

To get this priority, the sibling must:

• live the same address as the child applying
• still go to our school when the child applying starts (in September)
• be a full, half, step or foster sibling (this priority does not include cousins or other family members sharing a house)

Priority 4 – Children who live in the catchment priority area for our school

Our school has a defined catchment priority area. You can see this on a map at appendix 1 below

If you live in our catchment area your application will receive a higher priority at our school than applicants who live outside the catchment area. Living in the catchment area does not guarantee a place at our school.

Priority 5 – other children, by straight line distance

If none of the other priorities apply, your application will be considered under this priority.

If children meet the same priority (tie break)

If children meet the same priority but there are not enough places left for all of them, the places will be allocated based on distance from our school.   For example, if there are 4 places remaining at our school and 5 children all live in the priority catchment area, the 4 priority catchment children living closest to the school will be allocated those places.

If two or more children live exactly the same distance from our school (i.e in a block of flats) and there are not enough places for both, we will draw lots. This will be witnessed by an independent person.

We will not draw lots for twins or other multiple birth siblings from the same family. Where they are tied for the final place, we will admit them all, exceeding the Published Admissions Number for our school.

How many children are admitted to a school (Published Admission Number)

Our school has a Published Admission Number (PAN) of 30. This is the number of places we can admit into Reception in September 2022

Application process (normal round)

When applying to start in the entry year, all applications are coordinated by local authorities across England. 

You apply to your home Local Authority (the council who empty your bins) by the closing date of 15 January 2022. All offers will be made by your home Local Authority on offer day of 19 April 2022 (first working day after 16 April).

Applying after the national closing date

If you apply after the deadline we cannot guarantee to consider your preferences at the same time as those received on time. 

Any applications submitted or changed after 12 February 2022 will be dealt with according to the Leeds Coordination Scheme and we will adopt any late dates they use.

Definitions and special circumstances

Distance measurements

We use a straight-line distance system provided by Leeds City Council admission team. The program measures the straight-line distance from a defined point on the main school building to a defined point on your home address.

The point we measure to at your home address is set by the Local Land and Property Gazzetteer (LLPG), which provides coordinates for every property. If we are not able to match your address with the LLPG then we will identify a point at the centre of your home.

Temporary school sites

If our school is based on a temporary site for any reason, we will base our distance measurements on our school’s permanent site.

Which address to use

When you apply you must use the child’s permanent address, where they usually live with their parent or carer. You must not use any other address on your application.

Using the address of a childminder, a relative or renting a property for a short period of time in order to secure a school place is considered a fraudulent application. We will investigate all queries about addresses and we could ask the local authority to change the school place offer. 

If we find out that an intentionally misleading or false address has been given to get a school place, the school place may be withdrawn even if the child has already started at our school.

If the child lives in different properties (shared care)

Only one address can be used on your application for a school place, and this should be the address where the child lives for the majority of the week. In cases of equal shared care, both parents must agree which address will be used on the application.

If there is no agreement, Leeds City Council will decide which address will be used, based on where the child spends the majority of the school week. If the child spends equal time with each parent, they will use the address where the child is registered with their doctor.

If parents disagree on an application

Only one parent can submit a school place application and we cannot resolve disputes between parents – only a family court can do this.

When you apply, you are confirming you have the consent of all other persons to make the application. If we (or the local authority) receive two conflicting applications, both applications will be placed on hold (and school places may have to be offered to other applicants) until we have received (either):

• written evidence that everyone holding parental responsibility agrees the application
• a Court Order specifying who should apply

Your home local authority may be required to allocate a place at the closest school to the child’s home with spaces remaining available if the child needs a school place offer.

Moving home

When offers are made on national offer day, we assume your address will be the same when you take up our school place in September. If you are planning to move house, you must still use your current address on your application.

As soon as you move house, you must tell Leeds City Council of your new address and provide proof of the house move, including evidence you’ve permanently left the old address and evidence of your the new address. They may have to change the school place offered to you. Find out more on Leeds City Council’s making changes to your application page.

Accepting offers

You will need to accept the offer of a school place directly with our school.  This will not affect your position on any waiting list for any other school or your right to appeal. 

If you refuse the offer, or do not accept the offer within a reasonable time, your place at our school may be withdrawn. This will leave your child without a school place in September.

Waiting lists

After offers have been made in April, you can ask for your child to go on the waiting list for our school.

If you ask that your child is added to a waiting list after offer day and a place becomes available before the new school year starts, your child will automatically be allocated the place at your higher preference school. The Local Authority will also automatically withdraw the place at a lower preference school to give it to another child.

We hold waiting lists for all the year groups as follows:

• your child’s place on a list is decided by the oversubscription criteria in the school’s admission policy (the rules for prioritising places)
• each time a child is added or removed, the list is ranked again and your child can move down if another child meets higher criteria
• the waiting list will close at the end of the academic year (July 2023). You must reapply for a new school place to be on the list the following year
• looked after children, previously looked after children and those allocated a place at the school in accordance with a Fair Access Protocol take priority over those on a waiting list

When your child must start at school (compulsory school age)

All children can start Reception in the September after they turn four and most children thrive when starting school at age four. If you do not think your child will be ready by then, you can speak to us about whether your child would benefit from starting part time, or after Christmas or Easter break.

You must ensure your child has a full time education from when they reach compulsory school age. Your child reaches this on 31 December, 31 March or 31 August after their fifth birthday (whichever comes first). 

If you have been offered a reception school place at our school, the latest your child can start with us is when they become compulsory school age, or after the Easter break.

Admission out of chronological age (including deferment for summer born children)

You can ask for your child to be admitted outside of their normal age group, for example if your child is gifted and talented or has experienced problems such as ill health.

In addition, if your child is summer born child (born between 1 April and 31 August) you may request that your child be admitted out of their normal age group, to reception rather than year one. We recommended you:

• talk to any professionals involved with your child about your request
• contact us (and any other schools you are considering) to understand what we do to meet the needs of our youngest children
• read the Department for Education guidance on Summer born children

You still need to apply for a place in their normal age group, in case you don't get permission. You must apply by any deadline date and we recommend you send the request to each school you intend to apply for, as it is possible for one school to refuse a request that another school agrees. 

To apply, you must sent to us a written request that explains:

• why admission out of normal year group is being requested
• the year group you wish your child to be allocated a place

If you have it, you can also attach any available evidence that supports your request.

Our Governing Body will consider each application individually and make a decision on the basis of the circumstances of the case and in the best interests of the child concerned.

This request is separate to any decision about offering a place at our school. There is no right of appeal against a decision relating to admission out of chronological age. All decisions about offering places are made by applying the admission policy oversubscription criteria to the child’s application.

Find out more about starting Reception earlier, later or part time.

Moving schools (in-year applications)

We have the responsibility for considering requests to join our school in-year, or for Reception places after the start of the school year. 

We are part of the Leeds coordinated in-year application scheme. To apply for a place, an in-year online application form should be completed and returned to Leeds City Council. This  available on http://www.leeds.gov.uk The application will then be sent on to all the school(s) you have applied for and our school will decide whether we can offer a place.

If we refuse to offer a place, we will confirm this in writing to you, explaining the reasons, and that you have the right of appeal and we must tell you of our decision within 15 school days. Your child will be added to our school’s waiting list automatically for that school year. Where any vacancy arises, places will be offered from the waiting list based on the oversubscription criteria within this policy.

Find out more including any current vacancies in Leeds schools.

Appeals

If you have applied but not been offered a place at our school, you have the right to appeal. Our appeals are arranged by Leeds City Council,

Appeals submitted for a reception place in the normal round will need to be received by Leeds City Council’s deadline to guarantee being heard before the new school year starts. Find Leeds City Council’s appeals timetable containing deadlines and timescales

Appeals against a decision for an in-year application can be submitted any time during the academic year. Appeals will be heard within 30 school days of the appeal request being received (where the application for a place has been refused and the right of appeal has been issued).

Fair Access Protocol

All schools must take part in the Fair Access Protocol arrangements. It is a legal requirement and the protocol applies to all Leeds schools. The protocol operates outside of the Admissions policy. 

The policy applies to in-year applications and the aim is to make sure the most vulnerable children who do not have an accessible school place, are offered a place at a suitable school as quickly as possible. It also ensures that no school (including those with places) is asked to take a disproportionate number of vulnerable children.

If you think the Protocol applies to your child’s application, you will need to provide us with some further information.  Read the Leeds Fair Access Protocol