The Governing Body of The Vine Inter-Church Primary School is the admission authority for the School. This means that it is the Governing Body that sets and applies the admissions policy for the School however this is done in close collaboration with the Local Authority and local schools.

How to Apply

The application process for admissions into the initial year of entry (Reception) is co-ordinated by Cambridgeshire Local Authority (LA), which acts on behalf of the governing body to offer places at the School. Parents should apply online at www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/admissions no later than the LA deadline, 15 January 2024. Offer letters will be issued by the LA on 16 April 2024.  Late applications (those submitted between the January deadline and the end of the co-ordination period) will be handled by the Admissions Team.

To apply for a place after the start of term or in any other year group, please complete an in-year admission application at www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/admissions

Parents wishing to visit the school prior to submitting an application are welcome to do so.  Please look on the calendar page to see the dates available. Visits are not interviews and do not affect any decision regarding the availability of a place. Please contact the school to make arrangements on 01954 719630 or office@thevine.cambs.sch.uk 

All parents are advised to read the LA booklet for parents on primary admission and the THE VINE SCHOOL ADMISSIONS POLICY 2023-2024

Our admissions policy is written with our inclusive Christian vision as the foundation of our decisions. 

How places are offered.

For admission into Foundation Stage 2 Class each September, the LA, on behalf of the Governing Body, will offer places to 60 children. This is the Published Admission Number (PAN) for that year group. In the event that more than 60 applications are received, the oversubscription criteria will be applied to determine priority for places. All preferences are treated equally.

Oversubscription criteria

The school will serve the whole of Cambourne. Children who have a statement of special educational needs that names the school will be admitted.   Children who have a Statement of Special Educational Need (SEN) / Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) that names the school will be admitted. NB. Those children with a statement of SEN/EHCP that does not name the school will be referred to the Statutory Assessment Team (SAT) to determine an appropriate place.

• Children in Care, also known as Looked After Children (LAC) and children who were looked after but ceased to be so by reason of adoption, a resident order or special guardianship order;
• Children who appear to the Admission Authority to have been in state care (i.e in the care of or accommodated by a public authority, religious organisation or any other provider whose sole/main purpose is to benefit society) outside of England but ceased to be so as a result of being adopted only;
• Children living in the catchment area with a sibling at the school at the time of admission;
• Children living in the catchment area;
• Children living outside of the catchment area who have a sibling at the school at the time of admission;
• Children living outside of the catchment area who have applied and unable to gain a place at their catchment area school because of oversubscription;
• Children who live outside of the catchment area.  In case of equal merit, priority will go to children living nearest the school according to the shortest straight line distance.

Reserve Lists

As part of the co-ordinated scheme for primary admissions, the LA Admissions Team holds the initial reserve list on behalf of the governing body until the end of the autumn term in the initial year of intake. When an application is refused, the child’s details are automatically placed on a reserve list for the year group, ranked according to the oversubscription criteria. Parents will be contacted immediately if a place becomes available for their child, but should be aware that their child’s place on a reserve list may change if an application is subsequently received that meets a higher criterion than their own.

Where mid-phase applications are received, children’s details will be automatically placed on a reserve list for the year group, ranked according to the oversubscription criteria. Reserve lists will be held for a period of one term following the term for which the place was refused.

Parents will be contacted immediately if a place becomes available for their child, but should be aware that their child’s place on a reserve list may change if an application is subsequently received that meets a higher criterion than their own.

Appeals

The parents of any child who is refused a place at The Vine has a right of appeal to an independent Appeals Panel. The panel consists of three people who are independent of the school’s Governing Body and the Local Education Authority. The panel will consider the circumstances of the case put before them and the Governing Body and parents must abide by the decision it makes.

Appeals for The Vine are currently arranged by the LA Admissions Team on behalf of the Governing Body. Further information and appeal forms are available from the Admissions Team.

Infant Class Size Review

Please note that where a child is refused a place in an infant class because of the requirement to limit class size to 30 children, parents have the right to have this decision reviewed. This process is a type of appeal, but the circumstances in which the panel can find in the parent’s favour are limited by law. For further information, please contact the school office or the LA Admissions Team.

[1] For further information and specific dates, please refer to the full scheme for primary co-ordination, available from the LA Admissions Team or from the website, www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/admissions

[2] A sibling is defined as another child of compulsory school age living in the same family home.

[3] The home address is defined as the address of the adult with parental responsibility with whom the child normally lives and which applies at the time of application. Future addresses will be accepted only if the move is intended to take place within 6 teaching weeks of the application and upon confirmation of tenancy or exchange of contracts. For further details, please see the full definition in the LA admissions booklet for parents.

[4] A map and/or further information is available from the school.