Chidham Parochial Primary School

“Love each other as I have loved you.” John 15 verse 12

Admissions and Attendance

 

We are very proud of our school and are always happy to show prospective parents and children around. If you would like to visit the school please contact the school office, who will organise a convenient time for a member of our Senior Leadership Team to give you a tour.

Schools in West Sussex are categorised as community, voluntary controlled and voluntary aided.  Community and voluntary controlled schools serve catchment areas.  Voluntary aided schools serve wider areas. Chidham Parochial Primary school is a voluntary controlled school, our Pupil Admissions Number (PAN) is 30.

Admissions to community and voluntary controlled schools are the responsibility of the Local Authority and applications must be made through their offices via the internet at: https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/education-children-and-families/schools-and-colleges/school-places/

If you wish your child to join Chidham Parochial Primary School you should apply either via the West Sussex website link above or by post to:

 

Pupil Admissions Team

Education Office South

Centenary House

Durrington Lane

Worthing

West Sussex

BN13 2QB

Or by telephone: 033 301 42903 

Or by email:  admissions.south@westsussex.gov.uk

Under the Education Act parents can express a preference for any school but Parents do not have a right to choose a school. West Sussex Education Authority does however make every effort to meet parental preference where possible.  Further information about how places are allocated at this, and other schools in the County, is contained in the Authority’s Information for Parents Booklet a copy of which is available from the Pupil Admissions Office.  Further details relating to admissions can be found on the West Sussex County Council website www.westsussex.gov.uk under Education and Information for Parents, Admissions.

YR Admissions

In common with other local primary schools, all children may be admitted at the beginning of the school year in which they will be five years of age. We offer a flexible start on a full or part time basis.  This is planned on an individual basis, in conjunction with parents and carers, according to each child’s educational needs in order to ensure the smoothest transfer possible to full time schooling.

Our Early Years Admissions for Early Years Foundation Stage (Reception year) are  coordinated by the West Sussex County Council Admissions Team.

Contact details are available by accessing the West Sussex County Council website.

 

Admissions Criteria

Our admissions criteria are the same as all West Sussex schools. Preference for the Early Years in-take and, in cases of oversubscription, other year groups for this year is given in this order:

  1. Children who need a place for compelling and exceptional social, psychological or medical grounds (SEND - Education Health Care Plan - EHCP)
  2. Looked after children (children in public care) and previously looked after children
  3. Children who live in catchment with siblings at the school who will be there when they start
  4. Children who live out of catchment with siblings at the school who will be there when they start
  5. Children who live in the catchment
  6. Children who live out of catchment

 

In Year Admissions

Applications for any in-year admissions should be made directly to the West Sussex. Completed application forms should be returned directly to West Sussex Admissions Team South, this can be done via email or by post. Details above.

Application outcomes will be confirmed in writing no later than 15 school days from receipt of application.

 

Appeals

In the event that your application is unsuccessful and you would like to pursue an appeal, please follow guidance given. You can appeal against the decision by completing the online appeal form by visiting www.westsussex.gov.uk/schoolappeals  If you do not have access to the internet, you can call the Contact Centre on 0845 075 1007 and you will be sent a form to enable you to appeal.

 

School Transport

It is the parent/carer’s responsibility to ensure their child attends school. Should we be your nearest school but you live a distance away, you may be entitled to some help with transport. Transport matters for children attending this school are dealt with by the Transport Co-ordination Group who can be contacted:

The Grange, Tower Street, Chichester, PO19 1RH,

Tel: 01243 753530

or email: school.transport@westsussex.gov.uk   

You can find links to more information at www.westsussex.gov.uk  under Education and Information for Parents, Transport.

 

School Attendance and Absence

Parents and carers are responsible for ensuring that their child attends and stays at school, it is the school’s responsibility to support attendance.

Regular attendance is important to ensure the best possible learning outcomes for all of our children. The school supports the view that every lesson counts and reports to you personally on your child’s attendance at regular intervals throughout the year.  Term time holiday is only authorised in exceptional circumstances.  If you wish to take your child away from school during term time you will need to inform the Headteacher.  The school reserves the right to fine parents who do not uphold high levels of attendance.

 

Please read our school attendance policy

 

Please do everything possible to help your child attend school and support their learning. Shopping trips, waiting in for a delivery, outings, parental illness, visits to relatives and lack of school uniform are not acceptable reasons for missing school.  Medical appointments should be arranged if possible outside the school day. Where this is not possible it is expected that pupils only miss part of the day.

Children need to be in class for registration by 8.45 a.m. Those who arrive after the register has been taken are marked as late and the time of arrival is noted in the register. Registers are closed at 9.15 a.m. We are required to mark children who arrive after this time as absent and this will be unauthorised unless a parent or guardian gives a valid reason.   If your child is absent, for any reason, please let us know either by telephone or letter on the first day of absence.  The reason for an absence is noted in the school register.  Unexplained or inappropriate absences have to be recorded as unauthorised.

 

School Communications and Closures

The school uses Parent Mail as a source of instant communication with its stakeholders.  Parentmail is also used to send home the weekly “Friday Flyer” and letters for trips and visits.   On the rare event of the school being forced to close for bad weather or unforeseen circumstances, all parents would be notified via Parent Mail and home learning will be set on Seesaw (a communication tool between class teacher and families).  A message would also be displayed on the school website via our Twitter account.  We ask that all parents sign up to Parent Mail on starting the school so that rapid and clear communication is always possible.