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Admissions

It is the responsibility of the person(s) who hold PR to make an application for a school place. For this reason social workers are likely to only be involved in the admissions process for children in care. If you are aware of a child in care without a school place please contact the Virtual School immediately. 

Children in Care

For children and young people in care, we have a responsibility to keep things as stable as possible for them. Maintaining continuity by keeping the child in the same school should be a priority and we should make every effort to keep them in their existing school to ensure continuity of learning, friendships, and pastoral support from their school.

Of course this may not always be possible:

  • It may not be safe for the child to remain at their existing school
  • The distance from their existing school may be too far
  • The child may be at a point in their educational journey where a transition is necessary (for example from primary to secondary)

Where a school move is necessary, the social worker should work in partnership with the Virtual School to identify appropriate educational provision. It should be the social worker who completes school application forms; this shouldn't be done by carers.

You may need to find a new school place for a Child in Care if they're:

  • starting school for the first time
  • at the stage of moving from primary to secondary school education
  • at the stage of moving from year 2 to year 3, if attending an infant school
  • being moved a significant distance to a new care placement, for example to live with a family member. Where it is feasible to transport the child to their current school, the school move should only take place once permanency has been agreed
  • to be moved from their current school on a permanent basis for safeguarding reasons
  • being placed for adoption.

  • The social worker must notify the Virtual School as soon as plans to move the young person are being considered. Where a child is placed out of their home LA in a planned way, then staff from the Virtual School will research local schools and will liaise with staff from the Virtual School from the receiving LA in order to find the best school for that child / young person.
  • You should work in close partnership with the other key adults involved in the care and education of the child, to make sure that the choice of school is appropriate, and that it forms a positive part of the child’s care plan. It's crucial that you involve the young person in the decision making process.
  • Under no circumstances should the proposed carers be asked to seek a school for the child; although their views should be listened to, particularly if they have knowledge of the local area.

Before applying for a school place, the Virtual School should always be contacted and will support the process.

Consideration will be given to:

The school’s Ofsted rating:

  • You must always consider the current Ofsted judgement of the school.
  • Statutory guidance states that good or outstanding schools should be prioritised and children in care shouldn't be placed in schools with an inadequate Ofsted rating. The Virtual School will support you in reviewing the most recent Ofsted reports.

Where a child's already attending a school which is inspected and judged to be requires improvement or inadequate, the Virtual School will undertake analysis of the experiences of the child to make a judgement as to whether there needs to be a change in school. This will include the school's ability to provide a high quality education alongside the child's relationships with peers and wider experience of school. If the decision is made that it is in the best interests of the child to remain at the school, the Virtual School will prioritise additional advisory meetings in line with need. The Partnership and Outcomes team will also make use of the termly personal education planning and monitoring process to assess the progress the child is making and suggest additional interventions or support if these are deemed necessary. 

2. The views of the local Virtual School:

  • The culture, policy and practice in place to support children known to social care
  • The quality and compliance of PEPs

3. The school’s location:

  • You should consider how easily it will be for the child's carer to get them to school.
  • While convenience shouldn't be the overriding factor, where two or more schools could meet the child's needs, you can consider ease of travel arrangements.
  • Where the child is at an appropriate age and stage of development, you should consider how, over time, independent travel can be promoted.

Before an application is submitted, the Virtual School should be consulted about the choice of school. They will advise around the applications process and whether or not the applications should be made to the Local Authority or whether or not the school manages its own admissions process.

For school admissions in Peterborough:

  • The social worker should then complete a school application form via the Peterborough Admissions website: Apply for a school place | Peterborough City Council
  • Once Peterborough’s Admissions Service receives the application they will liaise with relevant school. You will then receive an offer of a school place from the Admissions Service.
  • The Virtual School must be involved in order that they can fast track the admissions procedure in order to ensure that no child is out of education.

For school admissions outside of Peterborough:

  • Peterborough Virtual School will liaise with the other Authority as required.
  • The social worker should complete an application form and submit it either to the relevant Local Authority or directly to a school as advised.
  • Where a child is placed out of their home LA in a planned way, then staff from the Virtual School will research local schools and will liaise with staff from the Virtual School from the receiving LA in order to find the best school for that child / young person. The social worker must notify the Virtual School as soon as plans to move the young person are being considered. Under no circumstances should the proposed carers be asked to seek a school for the child.

  • The annual closing date for applying for a Reception primary school place is 15th January.
  • The annual closing date for applying for a Year 7 secondary school place is 31st October.

These are national dates and therefore there are no exceptions for Children in Care.

All other moves will be in-year admissions and an in-year application should be completed.

Where a child has a special educational need, a school best placed to meet those needs must be identified. This may be mainstream or specialist, and may or may not be the child’s catchment school.

If the child has an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), The Statutory Assessment and Monitoring Service of the local authority where the child lives must be involved. 

It will be necessary for the child’s named casework officer to undertake a statutory consultation process to identify a school that can meet the specific needs identified in the EHCP. If a child is undergoing a statutory assessment for special educational needs, you should make every effort to keep them in their current school until the assessment has been finalised, and the appropriate type of provision has been identified. (This may take up to 20 weeks.)

Where a child has significant special educational needs, or an EHCP, transition planning for secondary school should begin early in Year 5. Similarly, from Year 9 Preparation for Adulthood (PFA) planning should be initiated to ensure sufficient consideration is given to Post-16 and Post-18 planning.

Consistency of school placement is important and where possible, children should stay at their existing school when a placement move is necessary. In order to maintain continuity of school, those with responsibility for school transport should be approached to provide assistance with transport. A decision will be made taking into account the child’s age and the distance from the child’s address to the nearest suitable school.

It is important to ensure that transport gets the child to school on time, but not too early and that the school knows who to contact if there are problems.

Children should be enabled to attend clubs and activities before and after school and taxi bookings should be organised to ensure that this is possible.

For further information about transport please visit the Peterborough City Council website School transport | Peterborough City Council

Peterborough Early Years and Childcare service provide guidance about government funded early education entitlements which are administered by local authorities for children aged from 9 months+, from how to get started, how much you can expect to receive and support with claiming funding. 

Further information can be found at Funded entitlements for children in foster care | Peterborough City Council

Please email nurseryeducationfunding@peterborough.gov.uk if you require additional support 

If a young person falls into one of the following groups you may be eligible to apply for the Vulnerable Bursary:

  • Young People in Care
  • Care Leavers
  • Receiving Income support or Universal Credit in your own right because you are financially supporting yourself or/and someone who is dependent on you
  • Receiving Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independent Payment in your own right and Employment Support Allowance or Universal Credit in your own right

If you fall into one or more of these groups above you can apply for a Vulnerable Bursary of up to £1,200 per academic year. You may also be eligible for help with transport to and from college, uniform and equipment and any mandatory trips.

Eligible and continuing students who live in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, that turn 19 during their course will be able to access a Vulnerable Bursary fund to support them with continuing their studies. 

Applications must be made to the educational setting the young person attends.

It's especially important that everything should be done to avoid moving a young person who's approaching the end of Key Stage 2, in Years 5 and 6. At this stage, pupils are preparing for their end of Key Stage assessments and beginning to plan for transition to secondary school.

It's also very important to avoid moving young people who are in Key Stage 4, in Years 10 and 11. By this stage, young people have begun their exam courses. Different secondary schools often use different examination boards, which can lead to significant complications if a child has to move schools once they've started their exam courses.

Ideally, all school moves should be undertaken at the beginning of a new academic year to reduce the negative impact on the child.

Unless there are compelling reasons otherwise, school moves should be avoided until the child is living in a permanent home. 

More information can be found on the Peterborough City Council website Apply for a school place | Peterborough City Council

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