ADMISSIONS FOR FULL TIME SCHOOL PLACES (4-5 YEAR OLDS)

Children are eligible to start school in Foundation Stage Two (FS2, Athelstan's Sunshines Class) in the academic year they are 5. The academic year runs from September 1st to August 31st. So a child who is already 4 on September 1st and will celebrate their 5th birthday before 31st August the following year will be eligible for a Reception place that year. By law children MUST be in full time education by the beginning of the term following their fifth birthday.

We are happy for you to contact our Early Years Office for any information you require about the school, or the process of admission. Paper copies of the prospectus and an application form can be made available, but equally both can be found online.

On Thursday 9th November 2023, from 6.00pm we will be holding an Open Evening for the parents of children who will be of school age in September 2024.  There will also be opportunities for follow-up visits, to see our outdoor environment in the daylight, on Tuesday 14th November and Thursday 16th November, from 3.15 to 4.00pm.

All applications for places are handled by North Yorkshire Local Authority and should be undertaken through the admissions portal (link below). If you do not currently live within North Yorkshire you must make your application to your own local authority, but you can name this school as a preference.  The application round opens on October 12th 2023.  Applications must be made before January 15th 2024. Places will be allocated on National Offer day, April 16th 2024.

Athelstan Primary School has a maximum admission number of 60 children. This means we can accept up to 60 children in each year group.The local admissions authority for this school is North Yorkshire Local Education Authority; they operate the following guidelines for admissions, in priority order:-

1. Children with an Education Health Care Plan. (EHCP)
2. Children who are recommended by the Director of Social Services, including children in care of the local authority, or by the Designated medical officer.
3. Children from homes disadvantaged by poor housing conditions or overcrowding, or from a background which is prejudicial to the child’s normal educational development
4. After the priority admissions shown above have been made, admission will then be made for children within the school’s normal catchment area.
5. Preference will be given to those children whose parents put Athelstan down as a first preference.
6. Children living in the normal catchment area who have listed it as a preference school, but whose higher preference have not been met.
7. Children from outside the school’s normal catchment area who live closest to school using the nearest walking route.