Admissions
Before and After School Club
Click here for more details about our before and after school club which will be opening in September 2024
Admissions for Entry September 2024
Applications for September 2024 entry opened on 6 November 2023, and the closing date is 15 January 2024.
All applications to be made online via the Essex County Council website:
www.essex.gov.uk/admissions
Unfortunately there are currently no further dates for tours of the school, but if you do have any queries then please do call the school on 01268 754124, or email us on admin@robertdrake.essex.sch.uk
Mid-Year Admissions
Please contact the School Office for an application form or download a copy using the link above.
Current Availability:
Current EYFS - no spaces Year 3 - no spaces
Year 1 - no spaces Year 4 - no spaces
Year 2 - no spaces Year 5 - no spaces
Year 6 - no spaces
General Admissions Information
If you would like further information on admissions to Essex schools, and the process you need to follow if you would like to apply, then please visit the Essex County Council website.
Admissions Policy 2024-2025
The Published Admission Number for The Robert Drake Primary School is 45.
Children are entitled to a full-time place in the September following their fourth birthday. Therefore, those children who have their 5th birthday between 1st September 2024 and 31st August 2025 will be admitted full time in September 2024.
The Local Authority coordinates admissions to the school at the normal point of entry, into the Reception class.
Over Subscription Criteria
There is no guarantee of a place for children living in the priority admissions area.
In the event of over-subscription, the following criteria will be applied, in number order, to determine priority:
- Looked-after children, including previously looked-after children (including children who have been in state care outside of England, subject to evidence) who have been adopted or made subject to child arrangements or special guardianship order.
- Children with a sibling** attending the school at the time of admission.
- Children living in the priority admissions area.
- Remaining applications.
In the event of over subscription within any of the above criteria, priority will be determined by straight line distance from home to school, those living closest being given the highest priority. At the normal point of entry this will be based on measurements provided by the Local Authority. Measurements for mid-year admissions will be taken from a distance calculator. In the event that there are two or more applicants living the same distance from the school then random allocation will be used to determine who has priority for admission. This random allocation process will be independently supervised.
Notes
a) ‘Looked-after child’. This is a child who is (a) in the care of a Local Authority or (b) being provided with accommodation by a Local Authority in exercise of their social services functions (see definition in section 22 (1) of the Children Act 1989).
b) Home Address
Applications will normally be processed on the basis of the home address for the child at the time of application and determination, unless, where there is a new home address, proof of an exchange of contracts or a copy of the tenancy agreement can be provided by (latest date specified by ECC for change of address).
The home address is considered to be the address at which the child resides on a permanent basis or is ‘ordinarily resident’ in the case of children to whom shared parental responsibility arrangements apply (in which case proof of residence arrangements will be requested). This is generally the address of the parent, and the child must be living with the parent or carer 24 hours per day for the majority of the school week. Arrangements where parents can leave and collect children from a relative or carer on a daily basis will be regarded as childcare arrangements, and the child will not be deemed to be ‘ordinarily resident’ with that person. In all cases we expect that the adult with whom the child is ‘ordinarily resident’ receives the child benefit for the child.
c) Address Checking
The school will ask applicants to provide proof of their home address. This may include a copy of the following:
• UK driving licence
• Council tax notification
• Two utility bills dated within the last 6 months (gas, electricity, water or landline phone)
The school reserves the right to take additional checking measures including further documentation and in some cases unannounced home visits. If a school place is secured through false information regarding a home address, the school will withdraw the place offered.
Siblings
**Siblings are defined as a child living in the same family unit, in the same family household and address who at the time of the application attends the Robert Drake Primary School in any year group excluding the final year. This includes brothers and sisters, adopted brothers and sisters and stepbrothers and sisters. Children residing in the same household, such as cousins, will not be treated as siblings.
Priority Admissions Area
Please contact the school for details of the priority admissions area.
Waiting Lists
Unsuccessful applicants will be placed on a waiting list. The waiting list will be ordered in accordance with the oversubscription criteria set out above. This means that the time that a child was added to the list will have no bearing on their position in the list and once on the list a child may move up or down the list as other children are added or removed. Waiting lists will be maintained for the duration of one year and any mid-year admissions will be in line with the criteria above.
Appeals Against Admission Decisions
Parents and carers have the right to appeal against admission decisions to an Independent Appeal Panel, as specified in Admissions Code. Please contact the school for further details of the appeals process.
Late Applications
Applications received after the national closing date will be handled in accordance with the co-ordinated scheme for Essex (published in the Primary Education in Essex booklet – www.essex.gov.uk/admissions)
Admission of Children Outside their Normal Age Range.
As a general rule children will be admitted into their normal age group at the usual time. The school makes every attempt to keep children with their chronological age group. However, parents may seek a place for their child outside of their normal age group, for example if their child has experienced problems such as ill health. Decisions will be made based on the circumstances of each case and in the best interests of the child concerned.
Parents or carers should make an application for their child’s normal age group at the usual time and submit a request in writing for admission out of the normal age group at the same time.
If the request is agreed by the school, the application for the normal age group should be withdrawn before a place is offered.
If the request is refused, the parent or carer must decide whether to continue with the application for the child’s normal age group, or to refuse it and make a mid-year application for admission to year one for the September following the child’s fifth birthday.
Where a request is agreed, although this will not guarantee a place for the child, the parent or carer must make a new application as part of the main admissions round the following year.
Mid-Year Admissions.
Mid-year admissions are coordinated by the school. Please contact the school office for an application form. The school will consider your application, and where a space is available will send out an offer letter no later than fifteen school days later. Where a space is not available, the school will send out a refusal letter no later than fifteen school days later. Copies of offers and refusal letters will be sent to Essex County Council’s Admissions Inbox (admissions@essex.gov.uk) within two school days in accordance with legal requirements.
Where a mid-year application is received, the school will follow this procedure:
Admission Arrangements
The Governing Body will apply the admission arrangements in accordance with the co-ordinated scheme for Essex.