FAIR ACCESS PROTOCOL

FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS

1. Background and legal frameork
1.1 Local Authorities are required to have a Fair Access Protocol (FAP), agreed by the majority of
schools in the area, to ensure that access to education is secured quicly for vulnerable
children !ho have no school "lace and to ensure that all schools in an area admit their fair
share of children !ho may "resent challenges to the school. #his a""lies to a""lications made
outside the normal admissions round only and to all maintained schools !ithin the $radford LA
(%ommunity, &A, Foundation, #rust, Free 'chools and Academies).
1.( )n many cases children not on a local school roll, requiring a school "lace, !ill continue to be
admitted in accordance !ith the usual admission "rocedures. #he Fair Access Protocol (FAP)
is to be used in certain circumstances to ensure vulnerable children have access to education
quicly and !here the circumstances of the "u"il, the "referred school, or both, mean that the
"u"il !ould not be admitted to the school through the normal admissions "rocess.
1.* )n the conte+t of the $radford ,istrict, some of the issues relating to fair access arise from the
high level of "u"il mobility, an increase in -. migrant !orers and refugees and "ressure on
school "laces generally.
1./ All schools have a "ublished admission number (PA0) for the normal year of entry. )t is
e+"ected that the PA0 continues as a limit for all year grou"s !hen determining !hether a
year grou" is full.
1.1 All schools share a collective res"onsibility to ensure that children, identified as being in a FAP
category, are admitted on an equitable basis to a suitable school as quicly as "ossible. All
$radford LA schools are committed to ensuring that individual schools are not "ut under undue
"ressure to admit "u"ils !ho have a high level of need. )n many cases this !ill entail
admitting "u"ils through the FAP over and above the school2s "ublished admission number.
!. Pr"nc"#le$
(.1 Pu"ils "laced through the FAP !ill be given "riority for admission over any others on a !aiting
list or a!aiting an a""eal.
(.( 3herever "ossible, if a child2s a""lication is dealt !ith through the FAP, siblings living at the
same address, !ho do not already have a school "lace, !ill be offered the same school.
(.* 3hen determining an admission through the FAP, consideration !ill be given to4
continuity of education and any "revious school attended !ithin the $radford district5
if the school is in an 6fsted category 7 a Priority 1 school 7 vulnerable around floor
targets.
* where a child has been taken off roll due to extended leave, offering a place at the
previous school through the FAP may not be appropriate.
(./ #he decision as to !hich school !ill be offered to a child through the FAP !ill be made by a
senior admissions officer. 3here this decision is challenged or refused by a school, the matter
!ill be referred to the Fair Access Panel(s) to mae the final decision.
(.1 3herever "ossible, Priority 1 schools !ill not be requested to4
e+ceed *1 in any class8
admit into the summer term in 9ear /, or
admit into the Autumn or '"ring #erm of 9ear :.
ho!ever, this may not al!ays be "ossible, "articularly !ith a""lications for larger families.
(.: 6nce a school "lace has been agreed and allocation made, the relevant school !ill be
res"onsible for admitting the "u"il !ithin 1; school days and inform the Admissions #eam
should they not tae u" the "lace.
(.< #he "u"il !ill be "laced on the school roll on the day they arrive in school to be admitted.
(.= Although "arents have the right to a""eal for their "referred school, no a""eal should be heard
!ithout an offer of a school "lace being made first.
(.> #he FAP does not a""ly to Looed After %hildren, "reviously looed after children or a child !ith
a statement of '-0 (even if such children come under any of the follo!ing categories) as
these children mu$% be admitted to the "referred or named school.
& Fa"r Acce$$ Ca%egor"e$
A""lications for the follo!ing !ill be covered by the Fair Access Protocol4
1. children from the criminal justice system or Pu"il ?eferral .nits !ho need to be reintegrated
. children !ho have been out of education for t!o months or more8
!. children !hose "arents have been unable to find them a "lace after moving to the area,
because of a shortage of school "laces8
". children of @y"sies, ?oma, #ravellers, refugees and asylum seeers (if they also come
under one of the other FAP categories)8
#. children !ho are homeless8
$. children !ith unsu""ortive family bacgrounds, for !hom a "lace has not been sought8
%. children !ho are carers,
&. children !ith s"ecial educational needs, disabilities or medical conditions (but !ithout
statements)
'. children no!n to the "olice or other agencies, ie %AAB' 9outh 6ffending #eam, etc 8
1(. children !ith a history of significant behaviour and attendance issues8
11. 9ear : children !ho have moved into the district8
1. 9ear 1 children !ho have moved into the district during the summer term (CC)
' Proce$$ for alloca%"ng #u#"l$ %(roug( %(e FAP
/.1 Primary schools !ould not normally be e+"ected to admit more than (D of the total school
"o"ulation under the FAP. #he table belo! sho!s the ma+imum number of "u"ils that a school
may be required to admit during an academic year through the "rotocol4
Admission 0umber #otal number "u"ils
*; /
/1 :
:; =
<1 11
>; 1/
/.( )n E'1, children !ill only be "laced through the FAP if they come under category * in the list in
section * and !ill be classified as an Fe+ce"ted "u"il2 under the infant class siGe legislation. )n
such circumstances, the la! allo!s for classes to be above *; for the remainder of Eey 'tage
6ne.
) Mon"%or"ng and Re*"e
#he "rocesses and categories of "u"ils covered by the FAP !ill be revie!ed annually and a
register maintained by the Admissions #eam !hich can be vie!ed on request. #he
effectiveness of the "rotocol is re"orted annually to the 'chool Adjudicator.
Approved by )radford Primary *mprovement Partnership
.(1.1("