St Joseph's Cathedral primary school - admission arrangements 2024 / 2025

St Joseph's Cathedral primary school was founded by the Catholic Church to provide education for children of Catholic families. Whenever there are more applications than places available, priority will always be given to Catholic children in accordance with the oversubscription criteria listed below. The school is conducted by its governing body as part of the Catholic church in accordance with its trust deed and instrument of government and seeks at all times to be a witness to Jesus Christ.

As a Catholic school we aim to provide a Catholic education for all our pupils. At a Catholic school, Catholic doctrine and practice permeates every aspect of the school's activity. It is essential that the Catholic character of the school's education is fully supported by all families in the school. All parents are therefore expected to give their full, unreserved and positive support for the aims and ethos of the school. This does not affect the right of a parent who is not of the faith to apply for a place for their child at the school.

The governing body is the admission authority and has the responsibility for the admissions to this school. The local authority undertake the coordination of admission arrangements. The governing body has set its admission number at 60 pupils to the Reception class in the school year which begins in September 2019.

The governing body will admit twins and all siblings from multiple births where one of the children is the 60th child admitted.

Oversubscription criteria

Where the number of applications exceeds the number of places available, the following subscription criteria will be applied in the order below:

1. All looked after and previously looked after children in the care of the local authority.
2. Children with a statement of special educational needs where the local authority has named St Joseph's Cathedral Primary school in the statement.
3. a) All baptised Catholic and catechumenate children living in the school's catchment area who will have a brother or sister attending the school when they join - see notes for guidance. b) All baptised Catholic and catechumenate children living in the school's catchment area - see notes for guidance.
4. All children baptised in the Orthodox Christian church living in the school's catchment area - see notes for guidance for Other Catholic children.
5. Applications with siblings who are not baptised Catholic and on roll in the intake year.
6. Catholic pupils from outside the catchment area.
7. Children from other Christian denominations or children of other religions or faiths seeking an education within a Catholic context - see notes.
8. Children whose parents desire a Catholic education.

Notes for guidance

A brother or sister will be defined as a natural or legally adopted child of either parent living at the same address. In any circumstances in which there is one place available and the next eligible children are twins/triplets then the governing body will admit both/all children.

'Residing in' and 'home address'

The 'home address' will be the address used for correspondence related to where 'child benefit' is paid. In cases where there is doubt of the home address or where a child lives between two homes (split families) or other relevant circumstances, proof of the home address must be provided to the school to confirm the address used on the application form. Home addresses will be the address that complies with the above at the closing date for applications set by the local authority. Families who are due to move house should provide:

1. a Solicitor's letter confirming that exchange of contracts has taken place on the purchase of a property; or
2. a copy of the current rental agreement, signed by both the tenants and the landlords, showing the address of the property, or
3. in the case of serving HM Forces personnel, an official letter confirming their date of posting from the MOD, FCO or GCHQ.

Waiting list

A waiting list will be maintained in the event of the school being oversubscribed. Following the allocation of places during the normal admissions round, children will remain on the waiting list until the 30 September in the school year in which they apply. If additional places become available while the waiting list on the basis of the above oversubscription criteria.

How religious affiliation is tested

If you are applying under criteria 3, 4, 6 and 7 please complete the Common Application form.

Member is defined as member of the Church in Wales by registration on the electoral roll of the parish.

Admission appeals

Nursery education is a non-statutory provision and parents have no right of appeal under the Education Act 1980 if they are unsuccessful in gaining a place. Admission to the nursery class does not guarantee admissions to the school. The decision with regard to the allocation of a morning or afternoon place rests with the headteacher. Pupils granted a place in the nursery class will be required to submit an application for a place in the Reception class at the appropriate time. For parents who apply for a place for their children in Reception or any other year who are not offered a place at this school, it is because the increase in number would adversely affect the education of our current pupils. Parents who are dissatisfied with the decision of the governing body not to admit a child may appeal. If you exercise that right, the appeal must be forwarded to the clerk to the governors of the school.

The appeal will be considered by an independent admission appeal panel, administered by the Diocesan Board of Education according to the Welsh Government's code of practice on school admission appeals. The appeals panel then meets to consider all appeals by parents who have been refused a place at our school. This decision is binding for all parties concerned.

Where non-Catholic children are welcomed into the school, they are expected to embrace the school ethos by entering fully into the spiritual and prayer life of the school.

If the number of applications in any individual category exceeds the number of places available, then places will be allocated on distance with those living nearest (shortest available walking route) to the school receiving priority. The measurement will be taken from the pavement outside the main entrance to the property (house or flat), to the nearest official school entrance. The local authority's atomically generated computer mapping programme (the ONE system) is used when undertaking the measurement which measures the distance from home to school by the shortest route. The parents of any child whose application for a place is rejected will have a right of appeal to an independent appeals panel. Details on how to appeal our decision will be included in the rejection letter we will send you.

Notes for guidance

Catholic baptism will be verified by sight of the child's Baptismal Certificate, signed by the parish priest. Where this in not available parents are required to provide proof eg a letter from the parish priest.

Orthodox Christians (Greek, Russian, Indian) have a closer link with the Catholic Church, through their scripture and tradition than other Christian denominations, hence their higher category and verified by sight of the child's Baptismal Certificate signed by the priest.

Other Christian denominations or children of other religions or faiths seeking an education within a Catholic context. Membership of other Christian denominations (those with a rite of baptism recognised by the Catholic Church) or children of other religions or faiths will be verified by a letter from the appropriate clergy or minister or faith leader.

Definition of sibling

Children who have a sibling on roll at St Joseph's Cathedral primary school in September the applicant would begin school. If the need arises, the applicant with the youngest sibling will have the highest priority. For example, Mary has a brother in Y6 whilst Jane has a sister in Y1. If there were only one place and if all other criteria are equal, the place would be offered to Jane because her sibling is younger. Any sibling connection must be stated on the application form. For admission purposes a sibling is a child who is the brother/sister where two children are related by marriage. This definition also includes adopted or fostered children living at the same address.

Admission number

This is the maximum number of children we can have in any year group, it is calculated according to the Welsh Government guidance 'Measuring the Capacity of Schools in Wales'. The admission number is 30.

Shared guardianship

In the case of a child, through family circumstances, lives with different parents or carers at two addresses in the school week, then the carer who has the greater responsibility for the child during the school week will be deemed to be the child's address.

We will use this address for admissions decisions. For example, David lives with his Mum on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and with Dad Tuesday and Thursday. Mum's address will be used as David's address.

Looked After Child

A looked after child is one who is in the care of a local authority in accordance with Section 22 of the Children Act 1989 and any subsequent legislation.

Waiting lists

Where a child's application for admission to the Reception class is rejected due to oversubscription, their application will be held on file in a waiting list until the 30 September of the year of entry (ie one month after school starts). If a place becomes available, it will be offered to the child highest up the oversubscription criteria list first, then going down the list until the place is taken. At 3.20pm on 30 September, any applications remaining in the waiting list will be removed. No other year group will have a waiting list.

Any applications for admission to the school from other year groups (and Reception children after 30 September) will be considered separately as they are submitted and received.

Late applications

All completed applications will be considered at the same time so there is no advantage to a parent who submits a form early. However, if you do not meet the deadline your application will be considered after all the applications sent in on time. By the time late applications are considered all places in the school may have been allocated even if you live in the school's catchment area and meet all other admission criteria.