Admission to Newcastle secondary schools 2011 - Newcastle City ...

secondary 4 print 27/8/10 16:49 Page 29Explanation of termsThe terms and abbreviations used in thisbooklet can be unfamiliar to those notpreviously involved in the education system.These explanations should help but if yourequire further clarification please phone 0191277 4133.Admission authorityThe body responsible for setting and applying aschool’s admission arrangements. Forcommunity or voluntary controlled schools, thisis Newcastle City Council; for faith schools, thisis the school governing body.Admission arrangementsThe procedures, practices and oversubscriptioncriteria used to decide the allocation of schoolplaces, including any means used to determinewhether a school place is to be offered.Admission (oversubscription) criteriaThese are the rules that decide which childrenwill be given priority where there are moreapplications than places.Admission numberThe number of school places offered in normalyear of entry.Child’s home addressThis is the child’s permanent address where heor she resides with a person with parentalresponsibility or with a parent (as defined inSection 576 of the Education Act 1996).Common application formThe form parents complete and submit to localauthorities listing their preferred choices ofschools when applying for a school place.Community schoolsThese schools are maintained fully by the localauthority (LA). The LA is the admission authorityand it is responsible for determining theadmission arrangements and for allocatingschool places.First schoolsThese schools cover the reception to Year 4age groups (4 to 9 years). Many will also takeyounger children into designated nurseryclasses.Governing bodiesThese are bodies with responsibility for theperformance, framework and standards underwhich schools are expected to operate.Home Local Authority (LA)A child’s home local authority is the localauthority in which they live.Medical needIn the oversubscription criteria this means aspecific medical reason to go to a particularschool. Evidence must be provided by aprofessional indicating why the school is theonly one that can meet the needs of the childand explaining why alternative schools areunsuitableOversubscriptionThis means that there have been moreapplications than there are available places.Parent/carerThis includes all those people who haveparental responsibility for a child who fall underthe definition of “parent” as set out in Section576 of the Education Act 1996.Parental responsibilityThe mother of a child always has parentalresponsibility. The father also has parentalresponsibility if named on the birth certificate orby agreement with the mother, or by court order.Parents do not lose parental responsibility ifthey divorce. In relation to school admissions,this applies to the role of choosing andproviding for the child's education.PreferenceThe school you would most like your child toattend.Primary schoolsThese schools cover the reception to Year 6age groups (4 to 11 year olds). Many will alsotake younger children into designated nurseryclasses.State schoolsAll children in England between the ages of 5and 16 are entitled to a free place at a stateschool. State schools all receive funding fromApply online at www.newcastle.gov.uk/admissions by 31 October 2010 (midnight)28