Thames View Bridge School Admissions Policy
The following principles will apply:
The admissions authority for the school is that of local authority SEN admissions/placement teams.
The school admissions policy conforms to that of the DFE special educational needs Code of Practice 2014.
The equality Act 2010 prohibits schools from discriminating against disabled children in respect of admissions for a reason related to their disability.
The school expects that all pupils referred to them for admission will have EHC Plans wit primary need stated as SEMH.
Admission to Thames View Bridge School is when the school is the named educational provision recorded in a pupils Education, Health and Social Care Plan (EHCP).
A Local Authority will provide the school with any reports, assessments or documents relating to the child. The school will not be expected to consider the suitability of a request for admission without receiving all relevant paperwork outlining the child’s needs.
Thames View Bridge School will agree to be the named school in a pupil’s final EHC plan, except where we feel the following conditions may apply:
The school cannot meet the child’s SEN;
The placement would be an inefficient use of resources ; and
The placement would be incompatible with the efficient education of the other children with whom the child will be educated
Assessment Placements
The governors of Thames View Bridge School recognize that it is not always possible when pupils are very young or new to the country to determine their level of special educational health and social care needs. Where necessary a Local Authority may request the school admit a pupil for a period of assessment in order for the child’s needs to be determined. If this is the case the school will produce a report in the timescales determined to inform the content of the EHC plan. This report will conform to the Special Educational Needs code of practice 2014.
Admissions Procedures
Children can be referred to the school from a variety of places but can only be admitted to the school following a decision to ‘name’ Thames View Bridge School by a Local Authority Provision/Placements Panel and the school governors formally state that the school can meet the special needs of that individual child. When this is the case the referring authority accepts financial responsibility for the ‘top up’ funding of the place.
The school is currently funded for a set number of pupils determined by the Trustees of the Partnership Learning Trust.
Where the school is requested to take a pupil and the appropriate class group is full but there are places available within the school, the school will enter into discussion with the Local Authority about the admission arrangements in the individual case.
Interested Parties may request that a parent/carer visits the school. Whilst we positively welcome such visits, it is for a Local Authority Provision/Placements Panel to determine if the provision is both necessary and appropriate.
Where a child is to be admitted to the school a Local Authority will inform the school in writing of its decision.
Following the notification of placement the Local Authority will write to notify the parents in the first instance and at the parents request organize the provision of transport if the child has special transport needs.
Prior to admission a member of school staff (normally the teacher) and the Special School Community Nurse will arrange a home visit to meet the parents and complete any admissions documents with the parents. The school nurse will also wish to discuss any medical issues with parents prior to the child starting school.
Children of statutory school age will start school as soon as arrangements for admission have been completed.