Primary school transfer September 2012 - General FAQs

General Frequently Asked Questions

Below you will find answers to some of the questions parents frequently ask when applying for primary school places for their children. If your question is not answered or you have further queries, please contact the Admissions Team.

How do I apply for a place at a primary/infant or junior school?

You can apply for a place online at www.kent.gov.uk/ola as from 7 November 2011. The information booklet will also be available to parents on the website www.kent.gov.uk/primaryadmissions. You can also apply using a paper application form, which you should print off to complete and return to us.

YOU MUST NOT COMPLETE A PAPER APPLICATION FORM IF YOU APPLY ONLINE AND VICE VERSA.

You can also contact the Admissions & Transport Office for the Admission to Primary School booklet and the appropriate application form. For entry into reception year, you will need a Reception Common Application Form (RCAF). For entry into Yr3 at a junior school, you need to complete a Junior Common Application Form (JCAF).

Do I have to place three schools on my form?

It is recommended that you do so. The scheme is an equal preference scheme and if it is not possible to offer you a place at your highest preferred school, by placing a second and third preference, it may be possible to offer you a place at the other schools you have named.

If you only place one school on your form and it is not possible to offer this school to your child, we can only offer you a place at an alternative school that has places available after all the applications for schools that may be nearer to your home have been considered, by those applicants that may have named them as 2nd or 3rd preferences.

You will not receive priority for a place if you only express one preference for the school or if you name the same school three times, this will simply be a waste of your preferences.

Please ensure that you do not name a primary school on a Junior common Application Form as it will be deleted from the form.

If your child is attending an infant school and you wish to transfer to a primary school if Yr3, you should complete an In Year Casual Admissions Form

When do I have to return the application?

The closing date is Saturday, 14 January 2012 and you can return the paper form either to us or a school. If you have applied online, you must submit your application no later than 11.59 pm on Saturday, 14 January.

My child is currently being assessed for a Statement of Special Education Needs, do I have to complete a RCAF/JCAF?

If your child’s statement has not yet been confirmed, you should complete a RCAF/JCAF to ensure that your child has been included within the Admissions process. If your child’s statement has already been confirmed, you will need to speak to your SEN caseworker.

When will I know the outcome of my primary/junior school application?

On 30 March 2012 letters will be sent to parents offering places at infant/junior or primary schools. They will be sent first class post ON 30 March 2012, so you will not actually receive the letter on 30 March. For online applicants who provided an e-mail address in their application, you will be sent a message after 4 pm on 30 March and a letter confirming the offer will be sent to you on 30 March. After 5 pm, parents, who applied on time but with no email address, can log on and view your offer, provided you have retained your username and password. Please note that some email providers may delay sending the messages to account holders where anti-spam software is engaged – parents will need to check with their own email suppliers in this regard.

I will be on holiday/away from home on that day (30 March) can I ring the office and be told my child’s school over the phone?

Unfortunately no, all parents must be informed of their school at the same time and we would not be able to identify you over the telephone. It would be advisable therefore to make arrangements for a family member or friend to enter the house to retrieve the letter for you. It should be remembered that all parents must accept or refuse the offered places by 19 April 2012 and if these are not received by the offered school, there is a possibility that places may be offered to other children.

I have applied for a primary school place online. When will I be able to view my offer of a place?

If you provide a valid e-mail address in your application, you will be sent email notification of your offer after 4 pm on 30 March. You will be also able to view your offer after 5 pm by logging onto www.kent.gov.uk/ola with your user ID and Password. You will also receive a letter through the post with the waiting list form which must be returned to us by 19 April and acceptance/refusal form which must be returned to the offered school by 19 April. Please note that some email providers may delay sending the messages to account holders where anti-spam software is engaged – parents will need to check with their own e-mail suppliers in this regard.

Why was my first choice/preference school not given?

This was because your preferred school had more preferences than the number of places available. Unfortunately, other pupils had a higher priority over your child when ranked against the school’s oversubscription criteria. Community and voluntary controlled schools oversubscription criteria can be viewed either within the Admission to Primary School 2012 booklet or from Kent’s website www.kent.gov.uk/schooladmissions. Academies, Foundation and Voluntary Aided schools oversubscription criteria can also be viewed on the above website or a copy of the oversubscription criteria can be obtained from the school.

Why has my child been offered a place at a school I did not name on my form?

This was because all your preferred schools had more children apply than the number of places available and other pupils had a higher priority over your child when ranked against the school’s oversubscription criteria. The scheme says that we must then offer a place at an alternative school near to the home that has a vacancy. This can be either accepted or refused using the form provided within the offer letter.

My child did not get their first preference; can I go on a waiting list?

You child’s name can be placed on to the waiting list for any school that you have named on your form by returning the waiting list request form (that will be included in your offer letter) directly to us by 19 April 2012.

If I am not happy with the school that has been offered to me, what should I do?

Firstly, it is advisable to accept the place that has been offered to you as you can always decline it at a later date by returning the acceptance/refusal form to the offered school. If you do refuse it, it will be offered to another child and you may not be able to have the place back at a later date.

Secondly, you can appeal for any of the schools you have named on your RCAF/JCAF by visiting www.kent.gov.uk/primaryadmissions to download the Primary Appeals Pack or by contacting the Contact Centre on 01622 696565 who will send you a pack and complete the appeal form enclosed and return to us. The Appeals Pack will be available as from March 2012. If the school is an Academy, Voluntary Aided or Foundation school, the appeal form should be returned directly to the school.

Thirdly, you can request that your child’s name is placed on the school(s) waiting list by returning the waiting list request form to us.

All forms must be returned by 19 April.

Do I have to accept the place offered?

You do not have to accept, but it is sensible to do so. Parents have up to 19 April to accept or refuse places to the offered school and we will allocate any places that become available after 3 May. You can always refuse the place at a later date should you acquire a place at a school you want, but if you do not accept a place and do not secure a preferred school through waiting lists or appeal – you will have no school place. It is better to have a place in reserve until a preferred one becomes available.

If I accept the place offered does it prejudice any appeal I make?

No, nor will it have any affect on your child’s position on a school’s waiting list

What should I put in my appeal?

Information regarding the appeal process is included within the Primary Admissions booklet, within the offer letter that is sent to you on 30 March and within the Primary Appeals Pack. When completing your appeal form, you should explain clearly the reasons why you wish your child to attend your preferred school and also provide information on which one or more of the appeal grounds that you wish the Panel to consider your case under.

If I want to accept/turn down the place my child has been offered, what action do I need to take?

Please complete the form that accompanies your offer letter and return it directly to the offered school. If you have mislaid the form or letter, you should advise the offered school in writing either via email or by letter of your decision by 19 April.

Please be aware that if you refuse the place offered to you, the place may be offered to another child and therefore you may not be able to have the place given back to you at a later date if you change your mind.

I have put my child’s name on the waiting list – when will I know if I am offered a place?

If vacancies become available, we will contact you after 3 May. If you wish to accept the place, you must return the acceptance/refusal form enclosed within your offer letter to the offered school as soon as possible. If you have accepted a previous offer you should contact the school directly to advise them you no longer want the place.

I have moved house within Kent since first applying for a school place and the school I have been offered is many miles away from our new home. What should I do?

Please speak to the Primary Admissions team for advice.

I have only just moved into Kent, do I need to complete a RCAF/JCAF to obtain a place?

(If this is after 30 March but before 9 July) Yes, your application will be considered as a late application and we will place your child on to your preferred schools waiting lists and if it is able to offer you a place at one of your preferred schools, we will write to you after 3 May. If we are not able to offer you a place at one of your preferred schools, we will offer you a place at an alternative school.

(After 9 July) Please contact the Primary Admissions Team for further information.

I sent my application in late and I have not received an offer of a school. What should I do?

Your late application will be sent to your preferred schools for them to rank your child against their oversubscription criteria. We will offer you a place by letter after 3 May. If we are not able to offer you a place at one of your preferred schools, then it will allocate you a place at an alternative school and provide you with information on how to appeal against the decision to refuse you a place. Enclosed within the letter will be an acceptance/refusal form and a waiting list request form which should be returned to the offered school.

I have just found out that I should have completed a RCAF/JCAF for a school for my child in September, but I have not done so. What should I do?

(If this is after 30 March but before 9 July) Complete the RCAF/JCAF application and return it to the LA. This will be considered as a late application and we will place your child on to your preferred schools waiting lists and if it is able to offer you a place at one of your preferred schools, we will write to you after 3 May. If we are not able to offer you a place at one of your preferred schools, we will offer you a place at an alternative school.

(After 9 July) Please contact the Primary Admissions Team for further advice.

My child has been offered a place at a school but I would prefer that he/she starts school after Christmas. Am I allowed to request this?

You should discuss with the school whether their arrangements are to admit all the children in one go at the beginning of September or if they have two intakes one in September and one in January. Either way, all children must apply for places at the same time.

Your child does not legally have to be in school until the term after their 5th birthday and this would be in arrangement with the school. However, if your child will be 5 during the summer, they will have to start school in the following September in Year 1. They cannot commence reception year as they will be outside the age range for the year group. For further information, please contact the Primary Admissions Team

From September 2011, parents also have the right to ask for their child to start school on a full time basis from the September following their 4th birthday.