Admissions Procedure 2023/2024

The Local Governing Body at Marlborough Road Academy is responsible for determining the Academy’s Admission Policy. In undertaking this responsibility, the academy will be guided by the requirements of the law and will conform fully to the Admissions’ code and the School Admission Appeals’ code. The admissions oversubscription criteria have been created to ensure fairness, transparency and ease of operation to minimise appeals.

Admission Numbers

The planned admissions number for Reception will be 45.

The planned admissions number for Nursery will be 39.

Priorities for Admissions

The Academy will admit children with an Education Health and Care Plan which names Marlborough Road Academy. We will then allocate the remaining places in accordance with this policy.

Where more applications are received than there are places available, applications will be considered in accordance with the Academy’s published oversubscription criteria following the order stated below:

Oversubscription Criteria

Where the number of applications for the Academy received during the normal admissions round exceeds the admission number of the school, or an admission limit set higher than the admission number, then admission will be determined in accordance with the following priority of admission criteria:

1. Looked after children (as defined by section 22 of the Children Act 1989), previously looked after children and internationally adopted previously looked after children. This includes children who have ceased to be looked after because they were adopted or became subject to a child arrangements’ order or special guardianship order.

2. Children in Need - as defined by the Children Act (1989) i.e. those who are unlikely to achieve or maintain or have the opportunity of achieving or maintaining a reasonable standard of health or development or a child / children whose health or development would be further impaired without the provision of services of the Local Authority. Applications under this criterion would need to be supported by an appropriate professional stating that attendance at Marlborough Road Academy is essential.

3. Medical reasons. If claiming medical reasons, primary guardians must provide evidence from the doctor that the child has a medical condition which means that admission to Marlborough Road Academy is essential.

4. Older brother or sister in attendance at Marlborough Road Academy at the date when the pupil is to be admitted. This includes step-children and foster children living with the same family at the same address. Other children may be considered under the sibling criterion provided proof is available to demonstrate that the children are permanently resident at the same address as part of the same family unit. United Learning accepts that in some family units children may not be natural brother or sister.

5. Distance from the Academy. This will be measured in a straight line (as the crow flies) in miles from the child's permanent home address to the front entrance of the Academy.

The child’s ordinary place of residence will be deemed to be a residential property at which the person or persons with parental responsibility for the child resides at the closing date for receiving applications for admission to the Academy.

Where parental responsibility is held by more than one person and those persons reside in separate properties, the child’s ordinary place of residence will be deemed to be that property at which the child resides for the greater part of the week including weekends.

If the Academy cannot differentiate between the applications within criteria 2-5 a random allocation tie-breaker will be applied. This may be required for example, where applicants reside in the same block of flats or are children of a multiple birth living at the same address.

Waiting List

The Academy will operate a waiting list for each year group. This will be maintained by the Academy and it will be open to any parent to ask for his or her child’s name to be placed on the waiting list, following an unsuccessful application.

Children’s position on the waiting list will be determined solely in accordance with the oversubscription criteria. Where places become vacant, they will be allocated to children on the waiting list in accordance with the oversubscription criteria.

Applying for a place at Marlborough Road Academy

At Marlborough Road Academy, we try to accommodate all children who want to come here, although places will be offered in line with the above admissions criteria. We can accept up to 60 children in the Nursery class and 60 into the Reception class each year.

Admission to the Nursery Class

Marlborough Road Academy is in Salford Local Authority. When applying for a place you complete the Salford Application form for entry.  You can apply online at www.salford.gov.uk/apply-for-a-primary-place

Children can be admitted to the Nursery when they are 3 years old or if they will reach this age before 31 August in the year they are admitted.

Admission applications should be made through the Salford Admissions Team for the September intake. Information and application packs will be available from late October in the year before the September intake.

The deadline for applications is usually the middle of January. Places are announced via letter or email usually during the middle of April. You will normally be given at least 10 working days to let the Local Authority know whether you want to accept this offer, but during busy periods this may take up to 15 school days ( in accordance with section 2.30 of the Schools Admissions Code 2021). If you do not respond within this timescale the place may be offered to another child.

Late applications will only be dealt with once all other applications have been allocated and accepted.

A place in the Nursery class does not guarantee a place in Reception. All parents must re-apply for a Reception Class place.

Admission to the Reception Class

Marlborough Road Academy is in Salford Local Authority. When applying for a place you complete the Salford application form. 

Marlborough Road Academy is on the boundary of the Salford Education Authority. Admission applications must be made through either Salford City Council or Manchester City Council depending on which local authority you pay council tax.

Salford = at www.salford.gov.uk/apply-for-a-primary-place

Manchester = www.manchester.gov.uk/info/500321/primary_school_admissions

Arrangements for the Admission of Pupils with Disabilities

Most children with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities will not be disabled within the meaning of the Equality Act 2010. The admission of pupils with disabilities is considered in the first instance in the same way as non-disabled pupils.  Further considerations are made in the light of need and accessibility. In practice we ensure that classroom and extra-curricular activities encourage the participation of all pupils, including those having special educational needs or disabilities.  Staff organise resources within the school to increase access to learning and participation by all pupils.

In Year applications for all year groups

Children currently in another primary school can be admitted to Marlborough Road Academy at any appropriate age.

If you would like your child to attend Marlborough Road Academy you should contact the school for information and arrange a visit to Marlborough Road Academy.

The Academy will allocate a place in the required year group if one is available. You may obtain further advice from Salford Schools’ Admissions.

Once a place is allocated the Academy offer an induction which will include a home visit.

How to appeal if a place has been refused

If you are not offered a reception place at Marlborough Road Academy, you have the right to appeal against the decision.

The law on infant class sizes states that no five, six or seven year old child should be in a class of more than 30 pupils; the circumstances where an appeal committee can uphold an appeal for these year groups are therefore limited.

The Department for Education publishes a guide for parents on school admissions and appeals. The guide explains the school admissions and appeals processes; what parents can expect from the admissions system; how to object to unlawful arrangements and how to find further information and support.

This Policy should be read in conjunction with the Salford publication “Choosing a school in Salford” which can be downloaded from www.salford.gov.uk/primary-schoolapply.htm; or can be requested by e-mail from school.admissions@salford.gov.uk

***The school is currently consulting on reducing its published admission number from 60 pupils to 45 pupils. This will affect the reception intake for September 2023 and all following years.  For children who have a place at the school in other year groups there will be no change. No other changes to the admission arrangements are proposed. The consultation runs from Friday 10 December 2021 until Friday 28 January 2022.  If you would like to have your say on these proposals please visit www.salford.gov.uk/admissionsconsultation 

Following the recent consultation about the admission arrangements for Marlborough Road Academy in Salford, the following proposal has been formally agreed and the changes will be effective from the September 2023 reception intake:

  • Marlborough Road Academy – reduce the admission number from 60 pupils to 45 pupils

Any further objections to the proposal must be submitted directly to the Office of the Schools Adjudicator on GOV.UK by 15 May 2022.

United Learning comprises: United Learning Ltd (Registered in England No: 00018582. Charity No. 313999) UCST (Registered in England No: 2780748. Charity No. 1016538) and ULT (Registered in England No. 4439859. An Exempt Charity). Companies limited by guarantee.
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