Admissions

Admissions Procedure

For full details of how to apply for places at Lowerplace Primary School, please see the Rochdale Council website. More information can be found here.

Rochdale Local Authority (LA) is responsible for setting the admission arrangements and the Published Admission Number (PAN) of pupils. From September 2021, this number was set at 90 for Foundation Stage places.

We know that starting school is a big experience for any child but especially if they start at a different time of year or from a different country. A member of staff will meet with all new children and take them of a tour of the school and introduce them to key staff. We will also discuss any educational, medical or pastoral needs your child has so we can support them making the best start at Lowerplace. We would encourage you to bring your child with you on any visits you make to the school.

Reception children

By law, children start school at the beginning of the term after their fifth birthday. In keeping with Rochdale Council policy, we offer education from September 2023 to children who will be five in the 2023/2024 academic year. We offer full-time education from September 2023 to any child for whom this is educationally and socially appropriate.

We admit pupils according to the Rochdale Council procedure:

• Children who have a statement of special educational needs that names the school will be admitted. NB Those children with a statement of special educational needs that does not name the school will be referred to Student Assessment to determine an appropriate place.
• Children in care – also known as Looked After Children (LAC)
• 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 the catchment area who have a sibling at the school at the time of admission
• Children living outside the catchment area who have been unable to gain a place at their catchment school because of oversubscription
• Children who live outside the catchment area but nearest the school as measured by a straight line

In cases of equal merit in each set of criteria, priority will go to the children living nearest the school as measure by a straight line.

The allocation of primary school places takes place immediately after the closing date of January 15th each year. Parents of children offered a place are invited to visit the school one evening in the summer term prior to admission in order to meet the staff, visit the classrooms and ask questions. Children are also invited to visit the school with their parents.

Applying for a school place 

To apply for a school place visit Rochdale Borough Council Admissions and Appeals 

Within-Year Admissions

If you move in to the Borough outside the normal admission round (September), or if you want to change schools then you apply to the Pupil Services Team for a place.

For all other admission applications that do not include a house move, your admission will normally be delayed until the start of the next half term. This is to minimize disruption to your child’s education and to class structures.

Once you have been notified by the Council that we have a place available for your child, you should contact us immediately. We will then arrange an Admission Meeting to discuss your child, answer any questions you may have about the school, and how best we can support your son or daughter in their school move.

 You must fill in the In-Year Transfer Form, and ask your child’s current school to add their relevant information, and then and submit it to the Pupil Services Team.