Our Mission
As a Catholic
school community we work together to provide our children with quality
education through a curriculum and in an environment which has Gospel
values are central and the principles and ideals of the Catholic
Church are promoted.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
St. Teresa’s R.C. is a Voluntary Aided Primary School in the Archdiocese
of Southwark. It was built to serve the local Roman Catholic community.
In particular, the children of practicing Roman Catholic families who
live or worship in the parish of St. Teresa’s and neighbouring parishes
without a Catholic school.
A substantial amount
of funding for the upkeep of the school is donated by regular churchgoers
in these parishes through their regular weekly contributions at Mass.
The Roman Catholic
community support the school because they value a distinctive Catholic
Education for their children. For the remainder of this policy, the
word Catholic refers to the Roman Catholic faith and all references
to parishes refers to Roman Catholic parishes.
Parents elect to apply
for this school in order to ensure that the Catholic values and way
of life are passed on to their children at home, in the parish and at
school.
Governors have full
regard for these factors in the framework of this policy.
Governors will consider
the allocation of places in the school either:
1. As part of the
intake process for Nursery.
N.B. This is a separate
concern. A PLACE IN THE NURSERY DOES NOT GUARANTEE A PLACE IN THE MAIN
SCHOOL.
2. As part of the
intake process for the Reception classes (rising 5's). This constitutes
the `Normal' entry to Main School.
3. As individual cases
where existing pupils move away and create spaces for others on the
waiting lists or where pupils move into the area and make a late
application to any year group appropriate to this school.
APPLICATION FOR PLACES AT THE SCHOOL
Before Governors can consider the allocation of places
the application process has to be complete.
There are five points
to remember in order to make it complete.
1. Appointments should
be made with the Headteacher, so that the Application Form can be filled
in whilst the school is in session. This form will provide the school
with the details which will be used for allocating places. PARENTS MUST
NOTIFY THE SCHOOL OF ANY CHANGES IN DETAILS e.g. Address or telephone
number. Governors will not be held responsible for a child who fails
to gain a place at the school because the parents had not notified changed
address or telephone number, and therefore rendered themselves uncontactable
during the admissions selection process.
2. The child's Birth
and Baptismal Certificates must be produced for inspection at the school.
3. Parent/s or those
with parental responsibility must complete, sign and return a declaration
regarding the religious commitment of the family. This form is called
Appendix B and will be given to parents when they have completed Appendix
A. This form will also be used to obtain a priest’s reference. PARENTS
MUST INFORM THE SCHOOL IF ANY CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE TO THIS FORM.
Governors will not be held responsible for asking references of the
‘wrong priest’ simply because the parents have not informed the school
of a change to the referee.
4. Immediately after
the relevant closing date the Governors will send the Priests reference
to the Roman Catholic Parish Priest designated on the application form
in order to obtain a confidential reference. The reference will effect
the point on which your child will be considered under the Governors
Criteria (this is explained later in this policy). For applicants to
both Nursery and subsequently Reception, Priests references will be
requested for each admissions selection process.
5. Parents must have
completed parts 1, 2 and 3 above before the designated deadlines. (See
below)
DEADLINES FOR APPLICATIONS
Parents must have completed their three elements of registration listed
in the section above under numbers 1, 2 and 3, as follows:
1. FOR THE NURSERY
INTAKE: Either 30th September or January 31st prior to the academic
year in which their child will become 4 years of age. The 30th September
date applies to autumn born children only. (Autumn born children are
those born between 1st September and 31st December).
N.B. Remember that A PLACE IN THE NURSERY DOES NOT GUARANTEE A PLACE
IN THE MAIN SCHOOL.
2. FOR THE RECEPTION
INTAKE: The January 31st prior to the academic year in which their child
will become 5 years of age.
3. FOR OTHER CLASSES:
any time
OVERALL FACTORS
TO BE OBSERVED BY GOVERNORS IN THE ALLOCATION OF PLACES
1. The governing body have responsibility for admissions and intend
to admit 60 pupils to reception classes in the academic year 2005/6
2. The maximum number
of pupils in each Reception Year 1, 2 and 3 classes will be 30. The
maximum number of pupils in years 4 - 6 classes will be 35.
3. The maximum number
of pupils in the Nursery will be 104 divided into two ½ day sessions
with no more than 52 in each session. Pupils will be eligible to be
considered to enter nursery, the school term following their 3rd birthday.
4. Pupils attend Nursery
on a half daily basis.
5. Governors will
automatically place the names of all unsuccessful candidates and late
applications on to a waiting list in order of the criteria unless parents
request in writing that the name should not be placed on the waiting
list.
6. Governors will
automatically forward all application forms for Nursery as applications
to their relevant Reception intake selection process, unless parents
request in writing that this should not happen.
PUPILS WITH A
STATEMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
The admission of
pupils with statements of Special Educational Needs is dealt with by
the procedures set out in the Special Needs Code of Practice. This procedure
is integral to the making and maintaining statements by the pupils home
local educational authority.
CRITERIA FOR SELECTION
Governors will consider all complete applications i.e. those who have
completed an application form, who have presented Birth and Baptismal
certificates for inspection and who have a confidential reference from
a priest.
Admission Criteria
for deciding individual places
Where the number of
applications on behalf of children exceeds 60. Governors will allocate
the places available in the following order:
1. Looked after
children from regular practising Catholic families.
2. Baptised Catholic
children from regular practising Catholic families.
3. Baptised Catholic
children from occasional practising Catholic families.
4. Catechumens and
children of practising members of an Eastern Christian church in
communion with the Catholic Church.
6. Baptised Catholic
children not so far accounted for.
7. Other looked
after children.
8. Children of parents
with a commitment to a Christian education.
9. Children of parents
with a commitment to a school with a religious ethos.
NOTES ON CRITERIA
By 'regular practising
Catholic family', we mean at least one parent/carer and the children
attend mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation as a central part
of their lives. Missing mass more then once a month would not be deemed
as regular practice.
By 'Occasional practice',
we mean at least one parent and the children attend mass on some Sundays
and Holy Days of Obligation, but less then the regular criteria above.
Attendance only at Christmas and/or Easter would not be deemed occasional
until this criteria.
Tie breakers
Where it becomes necessary,
Governors will decide on the allocation within one group of the main
criteria by applying the following rules:
1. Those with a brother
or sister on the school roll who will remain on the school roll at the
entry date, highest number of siblings first.
2. Those whose families
live and worship in the Parish of St. Teresa, Morden.
3. Those whose families
live or worship in the Parish of St. Teresa.
4. Those whose families
live and worship in immediate surrounding parishes who have no Catholic
Primary School.
5. Those whose families
live or worship in immediate surrounding parishes who have no Catholic
Primary School.
6. If a further
tiebreaker becomes necessary, the distance of the child's home from
school will be taken into account. Governors will consult with the LEA
when advice is needed regarding measurement.
SCHOOL ORGANISATION
The Nursery Unit caters for children of 3 and 4 years old attending
either morning or afternoon sessions of two and a half hours duration.
The rest of the school are taught in year groups in mixed ability classes.
Occasionally because of variations in the number of year-age groups,
it may be necessary to organise class groups wherein there will be more
than one age group.
