Academies
Academies receive funding directly from the government and are run by an academy trust. Academies have more control over how they do things. For example, they do not have to follow the national curriculum and can set their own term times. However, they do have to follow the same rules on admissions, special educational needs and exclusions as other state schools and their students sit the same exams. Academies are inspected by Ofsted.
The academy trust is the admission authority for these schools which means they set the criteria that determines how school places are allocated.
Admissions authority
This is the body responsible for setting and applying a school's admissions arrangements.
For:
- community and voluntary controlled schools, the body is the local authority
- voluntary aided schools, the body is the governing body
- academies, the body is the academy trust
Admissions number
This is the maximum number of pupils that a school can admit into each year group without causing prejudice to the provision of efficient education and use of resources.
Admissions or oversubscription criteria
This refers to the published criteria that an admission authority applies when a school has more applications than places available, in order to decide which children will be allocated a place.
Council
Tier of local government providing statutory local services.
CE
Church of England.
Community school
Community schools are maintained and run by the local authority, which owns the land and buildings and employs school staff. The local authority is the admission authority for these schools which means they set the criteria that determines how school places are allocated.
Curriculum
A programme of education and other educational activities.
Denominational
Relating to a particular religious or faith or group.
Designated or catchment area
A designated area, or catchment area, is a distinct geographical area that is served by a school.
DfE
Department for Education. This is a government department.
Home address
For the purpose of admissions, this is a child’s usual permanent address, where they live with their parents or carers. For more information about home address, read things to consider before making an application.
LA
Local Authority. Bracknell Forest Council is the LA for the purpose of this guide.
LAC
This refers to Looked After Children or Previously Looked After Children. All admissions authorities must use LAC as an admission criterion. Refer to the relevant admission policy for each school for definitions.
NOR
Number on roll. The total number of pupils on the school register.
Ofsted
Office for Standards in Education.
Oversubscribed school
A school where the number of applications for places is more than the number of places that the school has available in a specific year group.
Parent
Parent is defined under S576 of the Education Act 1996 as:
- All natural parents, whether they are married or not or.
- Any person who, although not a natural parent, has parental responsibility for a child or young person.
- Any person who, although not a natural parent, has care of a child or young person. A person typically has care of a child or a young person if the child lives with them either full or part time and they look after them, irrespective of what their biological or legal relationship is with the child.
Preferred order
This is the ranked order of the schools that you would prefer your child to attend.
Radial distance
Radial distance will be based on the co-ordinates for the property and the school as defined in the Local Land and Property Gazetteer and based on the Ordnance Survey’s national system.
RC
Roman Catholic.
Sibling
Children are considered siblings if they have:
- brothers or sisters
- half brothers or sisters
- adopted brothers or sisters
- step brothers or sisters
In school admissions, a child is considered a sibling if they live in the same family unit and share the same address as a child of their parent or carer's partner.
SEN
Special Educational Needs.
Education, heath and care plan (EHCP)
An EHCP is for children and young people aged up to 25 who need more support than is available through special educational needs support. EHCPs identify educational, health and social needs and set out the additional support to meet those needs. EHCPs are issued by the LA.
Statutory
Required by law.
Tie-breaker
Used when no distinction can be made between applicants when the admissions criteria are applied.
Voluntary aided (VA)
Voluntary aided schools are schools maintained by the LA. However, the school buildings and land are usually owned by a charity, often a church. The governing body employs the staff and they are the admission authority for these schools which means they set the criteria that determines how school places are allocated.
Voluntary controlled (VC)
Voluntary controlled schools are schools maintained by the LA which also employs the staff, but the school land and buildings are owned by a charity, often a church, which also appoints some members of the governing body. The LA is the admission authority for these schools which means they sets the criteria that determines how school places are allocated.