Our Admissions Procedure
Our Admissions Policy
The number of new children we can accept each year is 78 into the Foundation 1 Nursery and 60 into Foundation 2 Reception class. If there are more applicants than places available, the following over subscription criteria confirm the priorities for admission into Halfway Nursery Infant School.
The following over-subscription criteria confirm the priorities for admission into Sheffield community and voluntary controlled schools.
Special Educational Needs
Any child that has a statement for SEN that names a specific school must be offered a place there.
The following oversubscription criteria outline the priorities for admissions to Sheffield Community Schools.
There have been some legal changes made to the criteria as detailed below. If your enquiry relates to the oversubscription criteria for a different year, please refer to the Parents Guides for that year.
The over-subscription criteria for Sheffield Community and Voluntary Controlled Primary Schools is as follows:
Priority 1 - Children in Care (previously In Care)
Pupils who are in care or have previously been in care but ceased to be so because they were Adopted or became subject to a child arrangement order or Special Guardianship Order immediately following being in care.
Priority 2 - Catchment area with Sibling
Children who normally reside with a parent or person with parental responsibility in the defined catchment area and who will have a brother or sister at the preferred school at the point of entry will be considered next.
This means that all catchment/sibling applications are prioritised before catchment applicants irrespective of distance. The normal distance tie-breaker will apply within each category.
Priority 3 - Catchment Area
Children who normally reside in the catchment area of a school, as defined by the Authority, at the latest date for application, and who apply for a place there will be considered after priority 1 & 2.
Priority 4 - Brothers and sisters (Siblings) who were refused a place at their catchment school in a previous year, where parents applied there.
A sibling is defined as a child who permanently or usually lives at the same address as
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A brother and/or sister (to include half brothers/sisters)
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A stepbrother and/or stepsister
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And in both cases will attend the preferred school at the point of entry.
Priority 5 - Brothers and Sisters (Siblings)
A sibling is defined as a child who permanently or usually lives at the same address as:
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A brother and/or sister (to include half brothers/sisters)
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A stepbrother and/or stepsister
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And in both cases will attend the preferred school at the point of entry.
Priority 7 - Other Applications
Any child who does not fit into one of the above categories will be considered next. Places will be allocated up to the published indicated admission number.
Tie Breakers
Where the admission number is reached mid admission category there are 2 stages of further consideration:
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Where exceptional medical, social or special educational needs are demonstrated, and you have submitted evidence to support this from a professional an application may be prioritised by the Admissions Committee, but only within the same admission category.
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This list of circumstances is only provided as an example and is not intended to be exhaustive.
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If there are no exceptional circumstances, all other applications will be prioritised first by the admission category and then by the distance from the home address to the school building.
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This is a straight-line measurement from the centre of the school building to the centre of the home.
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The Admissions Committee consists of Elected Members who have delegated authority to make admission decisions on behalf of ourselves.
Admissions Process
Parents wishing to apply for a place at Halfway Nursery Infant School:
Admissions into Foundation 1 Nursery will be on a waiting list basis and places are allocated the term after the child is three and following the admission policy criteria.
Application forms for a Foundation 1 place are available at the School Office or from the Nursery Office.
Applications for a school place need to be made separately. A child attending the Foundation 1 class does not transfer automatically into the Foundation 2 class at Halfway.
Admissions into Foundation 2 Reception
The school will display notices when it is time to apply for a place for their child. The application process takes place through the Local Authority Pupil Admissions Section. Applications can be made On Line. Contact details are given below. The Local Authority also manages the appeals process.
Tel: 0114 273 57 66
www.sheffield.gov/pupiladmissions
Nursery Admissions
Useful Dates and Deadlines
Children are admitted into nursery the term after their third birthday. Children can access free early learning (FEL) subject to the dates given below. If applications for nursery are received after the deadline date, your application will be carried forward to the next admission date.