Children are given the opportunity for a pre-school visit prior to starting school. All documents relating to the school and its educational provision are in the reception area of both buildings.
Parents who are unsuccessful in gaining a place for their child can follow a review procedure, in which they ask the Admission Committee to reconsider their application. If still unsuccessful, parents may take part in an appeal procedure which offers them the opportunity to appear personally before an independent Appeal panel to present their case.
The following numbers of Rising 5 applications were received for the 2002/2003 academic year:
33 in-area children
26 siblings
31 out-of-area children
90 places were allocated by the Admissions Committee. The single appeal was unsuccessful.
Summary Statistics for 2002/2003
Total number of pupils on roll of compulsory school age 567
Percentage of pupil sessions (half days) missed through authorised absence 6.3%
Percentage of pupil sessions (half days) missed through unauthorised absence 0%
Admissions Policies
Hamilton Primary School’s Nursery Admissions Policy
Barriers to access
Subject to the criteria set out below, children will be admitted to the nursery at the beginning of the term after their fourth birthday, without reference to gender, ability or aptitude. The number of children in the nursery will normally be 35 in the morning and 35 in the afternoon.
Applications must be received by the end of the term prior to the term in which the child becomes four. Places will be allocated according to the following criteria, applied in the following order:-
- Children living permanently within the area normally served by the school, i.e. the area within the following boundaries:-
Hughenden Road even numbers, Green Hill, Ridgeway, Amersham Road 41-1 plus 14-2, Terry Road, Lucas Road, Gordon Road 83-1, Stuart Road, London Road 35-1, Abbey Way, The Flyover, Oxford Street south side.
b) Children who will have an older brother or sister in attendance at school at the time of entry.
c) Children with exceptional medical, social or educational needs, supported by written evidence from a doctor, social worker, education welfare officer or other appropriate person.
- Other children according to the proximity of the child’s house to the school by
the shortest most appropriate walkable route. The distance will be measured from the front door of the child’s home to the entrance to the Administration block of the Priory Road site.
Once all places are allocated, children will be placed on a waiting list in priority order. Priorities are likely to change, subject to the criteria above, as new applications are made or individual circumstances change.
A place in Hamilton Nursery does not automatically guarantee a place at Hamilton Primary School. Applications for school places should be made in line with the Admissions policy for places at Hamilton Primary School.
A wide range of early years services are available however there are all kinds of barriers which exist and these can be physical, psychological, financial and environmental.
Physical Barriers:
An example of a physical barrier to access at Hamilton Nursery could be public transport, as a single parent who may have another child may find it difficult with costs. Someone who can drive to their required destination by leaving their children with parents, partner, friends or in childcare may find it a lot easier to do so.
Psychological Barriers:
Financial and emotional constraints may make it difficult for a parent to socialise. The additional tiredness that may accompany pregnancy, perhaps fears for the future, perhaps loneliness, may all have an effect on ones psychological well-being. The attitude of society in general may be critical.
Financial Barriers:
Benefits are received by many people who are able to claim them. For example a single parent of two will be receiving various benefits; however the standard of living is still likely to be low. Certain choices are simply not available for the parent: private health care or health insurance for herself. Things such as choosing a healthy diet can be difficult when the income is limited.
Environmental Barriers:
Environmental barriers can be such as having the choice of where to live. It may be distance away from health care facilities or other amenities. For example a garden for children to play in may not be available. High crime rate in the area is also an environmental barrier. These factors can indirectly affect how prepared a parent is to access the service.
School Hours
Priory Road Building
Nursery 8:45 am to 11:15 am or
12:45 pm to 3:15 pm
Funding:
Access Fund
The school operates a support system for those parents who may need help financially. Parents who feel their children may me deprived of an activity because of the hardship are requested to write to the school in a sealed envelope marked “Access Fund Committee – Private and Confidential”. The request will then be processed by a committee which consists of one of the Deputy Headteachers, a Governor and the Year Group Leader.
Charging
The school does not charge for the majority of educational activities which happen in school hours, although voluntary contributions are sometimes sought to enable certain activities to take place. Events may be cancelled if not enough voluntary contributions are forthcoming, although no child will be excluded from an activity. Charges may be levied for activities outside the normal school day, particularly where adults have been employed to teach particular skills, e.g. chess. A charge is also levied to support the teaching of instruments by peripatetic musicians during the school day.
Recent Government Reforms:
Safer Routes to School
Hamilton Primary school was Buckinghamshire’s pilot school in the ‘safer routes’ to school project. During 2000 physical changes were carried out to the roads around the school and a 20 mph zone created to discourage vehicles and improve the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. Parents who need to use cars have an opportunity every term to apply for parking permits to use in ‘pay and display’ / residential bays, the priory road playground at the end of the day or Safeways and Sainsburys car parks.
Activities provided by the organisation
After-school clubs are dependent on the time that teachers are able to give at the end of the school day. There are sports team practices, orchestral rehearsals, drama, gymnastics, modern and country dancing and chess clubs which are run after school.
How Hamilton Nursery is organised:
Hamilton Nursery must demonstrate that they are following the foundation stage curriculum, for children aged three to five. The foundation stage is described as a series of stepping stones, ending in the ‘Early Learning Goals’, which are the goals most children are expected to achieve by the end of the reception year at school. The foundation stage is organised in six areas of learning:
- Personal, social and emotional development
- Communication, language and literacy
- Knowledge and understanding of the world
How Hamilton Nursery is funded:
Hamilton Nursery is in a state establishment and therefore is funded by the government. The nursery is inspected by OFSTED for educational standards. Recent years have seen many changes in the way the funding mechanisms operate and the level of autonomy that is given to local areas or departments in using the funding to provide services.
Effects of recent government reforms and legislation policies:
Recent Legislative changes have meant that schools can opt out from local authority control and access resources direct from central government. Schools that do not opt out still exercise more control over resources than previously as there is now a local management of schools initiative. This is generally regarded as being a positive change which has given local head teachers` and governors more say in how resources are deployed, and they can therefore tailor provision to the needs of the local population.
