Admissions policy and procedure
May 2013
This is the comprehensive admissions policy and procedure for entry into Morasha Jewish Primary School (“Morasha”). Morasha was set up to serve the local community of Finchley United Synagogue (“Kinloss”) which is located at Kinloss Gardens, London, N3 3DU.
Priority for admission is given to those whose family is able to demonstrate commitment to halachic Jewish observances and practices and the ethos of Morasha, as verified by way of a Supplementary Information Form (“SIF”) to be completed by the family and by the Rabbi of the Synagogue at which the family are regular attendees. Additional priority status will be given to those whose families can demonstrate such commitment and are regular attendees and participants of Kinloss or Woodside Park Synagogue.
The decision as to whether or not an applicant qualifies for priority consideration will be based on the information provided by the applicant family and the signatory Rabbi on the SIF. In this policy, those who qualify for such priority are referred to as ‘Priority Children’ and, in the event of any dispute as to whether a child is a Priority Child, the ruling of the Admissions Committee of Morasha will be final.
In the event that there are more qualifying applicants than there are available places, priority will be given according to the oversubscription criteria set out below. If in any category there are more qualifying applicants than available places, priority will be given according to the proximity of the child’s home to the main entrance of Kinloss. This tie-breaker location was expressly chosen in order to fulfil the aim of the founders of Morasha to serve the Kinloss community and to further the aims of the Finchley Jewish Primary School Trust.
Admissions
1. The school has a published admissions number of 30 children each year. If only one place is available at Morasha and the next child who qualifies for a place is one of multiple birth siblings, Morasha will go over the published admission number to support the family.
2. In the event that the school is oversubscribed, priority will be given as follows.
a. Looked After Priority Children and Priority Children who were adopted (or subject to residence orders or special guardianship orders) immediately following having been looked after.*
b. Priority Children with siblings who are currently at Morasha. For these purposes, “siblings” shall include half-siblings, step-siblings and adopted siblings who are Priority Children and who are living at the same address.
c. Priority Children of families who regularly attend and participate at Kinloss.
d. Priority Children of families who regularly attend and participate at Woodside Park Synagogue which is located at Woodside Park Road, London, N12 8RZ.
e. Priority Children of families who regularly attend and participate at other Orthodox synagogues in Barnet.
f. Other Priority Children.
g. Other Looked After Children and children who were adopted (or subject to residence orders or special guardianship orders) immediately following having been looked after.
h. Other children.
3. If in any category there are more qualifying applicants than there are available places, priority will be given according to the proximity of the child’s home to the main entrance of Kinloss at Kinloss Gardens, London, N3 3DU. Distance is measured in a straight line between the address point for the child’s home, supplied by the Post Office, to the main entrance of Kinloss, using the London Borough of Barnet’s computerised geographical information system. If there are two families who live in the same block of flats, then those closest to the front door will have priority. If all criteria and measures are equal, then a random ballot will be the tie breaker. Where a child lives with parents with shared responsibility, each for a part of the week, the address used will be the address where the child spends the major part of the week.
4. Verification of commitment to halachic Jewish observance and practice and the ethos of Morasha will be obtained from the Rabbi of the synagogue where the applicant family regularly attends. Evidence will be sought of active Orthodox synagogue worship and observance of halachic Jewish laws and practice. Verification of attendance and participation at Kinloss should be obtained from a Rabbi of Kinloss. Verification of attendance and participation at Woodside Park Synagogue should be obtained from a Rabbi of Woodside Park Synagogue.
Admissions procedure
1. All applications for places at the school must be submitted on the Common Application Form (“CAF”), which should be returned to the local authority where the child lives. If the applicant seeks consideration for priority admission, the applicant should also complete the SIF. The SIF must be sent to the school at the same time as the CAF is completed.
2. The closing date for all applications to the Reception class is in accordance with the National Closing Date for primary school applications. Late applications will be dealt with in accordance with the London Borough of Barnet Coordinated Admissions Scheme and will not be considered until after offers have been made to those who applied by the National Closing Date.
3. Parents will be notified by London Borough of Barnet in accordance with its Coordinated Admissions Scheme on or about the National Offer Day. Parents must indicate in writing within 10 days their intention to take up a place.
Waiting list
When all available places have been filled, children not allocated places will be placed on a waiting list ranked in descending order according to the published admissions criteria. The waiting list will remain in operation from the day the original places are awarded and will be open until the end of the academic year. Those who wish to remain on the waiting list after this period will be asked annually if they wish to remain on the waiting list, if they still meet the criteria of the SIF.
In-year applications and applications for places in years other than Reception
These will be considered in accordance with the above oversubscription criteria, in accordance with the London Borough of Barnet Coordinated Admissions Scheme. Applications must be made directly to the London Borough of Barnet.
Deferral of entry
There is a legal right for parents to defer entry of their child to Reception class until the child's fifth birthday when they reach compulsory school age. There is no legal right to defer entry beyond the beginning of the term after the child's fifth birthday or beyond the academic year for which admission is sought. It should be noted that taking up this option has educational implications in relation to the syllabus for the first year at school and parents are encouraged to discuss and agree in advance with the school the appropriate course of action for their children.
Special needs
Children with a statement of special educational needs that names the school will be admitted. This is a separate process to the normal admission procedure.
Incorrect or misleading applications
If the information given in the application form is not accurate or up to date, your child may lose priority. In such a case, the Governors will have discretion to refuse the offer of a place. The Governors reserve the right to withdraw the offer of a place where it is found that the place was offered on the basis of fraudulent or misleading information given at any time during the application process.
Appeal procedure
If a place is not offered, parents will be advised as to their right to appeal to an Independent Appeal Panel convened by the Governors of Morasha for this purpose and will be advised on the process for appeal.
Fair access protocol
The Governors of Morasha acknowledge that the Admission Forum of the London Borough of Barnet may require the school to admit a child exceptionally, either outside the normal admissions arrangements or in excess of the published admission list, in order to protect the interests of vulnerable children and those with challenging behaviour. The Governors of Morasha have been informed that these pupils will be shared between schools in ways that are fair, objective and transparent.
* A child looked after is a child in the care of a local authority or provided with accommodation by that authority in accordance with Section 22 of the Children Act 1989. An adopted child is defined by Section 46 of Adoption and Children Act 2002. A residence order is defined by Section 8 of the Children Act 1989. A special guardianship order is defined by Section 14A of the Children Act 1989.
