School Admissions Policy

1. School Admissions Policy

2. Admission Authorities

3. Useful Information

4. Age Children Can Start School

5. Admission Timetable - Normal Admission Rounds

6. Admission Process

7. Offering A School Place (Notification Of An Offer)

8. Unsuccessful Applications

9. Applying Outside The Normal Admission Round

10. Appendices

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Useful Information

3.1 Admission Forum

The Pembrokeshire Admission Forum meets twice a year to discuss local admission issues. LA Members, Headteachers, Governors, Parents and Diocesan Authorities are represented.

Minutes of the meetings are available on the Pembrokeshire County Council website.

Throughout this document, Parents are defined as meaningall person(s) with a legally defined parental responsibility for a child.

3.2 Transport

The Local Authority provides free school transport for children of compulsory school age (term after their 5th birthday) on the following basis:

To qualify for free school transport your child must:

be a resident of Pembrokeshire
be of compulsory school age
be attending their catchment area school which is designated by the Council to serve the pupil’s home address, or to the nearest suitable school
live at least 2 miles from the school if they’re in primary school
live at least 3 miles from the school if they’re in secondary school

Distance is measured by the shortest walking route between home and school. From the nearest council maintained road to the property to the main school entrance.

There are separate applications processes in place for school admissions and school transport. Parents may express a preference for a school place and the admission authority must meet that preference unless to do so would prejudice the provision of efficient education or the efficient use of resources. However, it is important to note that obtaining a school place as part of the school admissions process does not automatically confer a right to free home to school transport, and parents must check their child’s entitlement for school transport before expressing a preference for a school place. Eligibility for school transport can be checked via the School Transport Eligibility Tracker. The Council’s School Transport Policy is published online.

The contact details for the Integrated Transport Unit are as follows:

Integrated Transport Unit
County Hall
Haverfordwest
Pembrokeshire
SA61 1TP

Tel: 01437 775222
Email: school.transport@pembrokeshire.gov.uk

3.3 Elective Home Education

Parents may also choose to educate their children at home. This is known as Elective Home Education. The decision to home educate requires careful thought, as it represents a considerable undertaking in terms of commitment, time and cost.

Parents considering this option are advised to contact the Local Authority, and seek guidance from the Elective Home Education Officer on 01437 764551.

3.4 Consultation

LAs must consult each year on the admission arrangements for those schools for which they are the admission authority. In relation to Voluntary Aided schools, relevant governing bodies must also consult annually unless they have consulted on their proposed arrangements:

i. within the previous two determination years,

ii. those arrangements are unchanged, and

iii. no objection has been made to the Welsh Ministers about their admission arrangements in the preceding five years.

ID: 9160, revised 14/08/2024