STEP Admissions and Appeals

Welcome to STEP Academy Trust and thank you for your interest in educating your child at one of our Academies. The following notes are designed to provide guidance on enquiries or applications for places.

STEP Academy Trust is the admission authority for all Academies within the Trust and the allocation of school places has been delegated to the Local Authority School Admissions Teams.

CONSULTATION ON THE PROPOSED CLOSURE OF THE NURSERY CLASS – APPLICATION TO THE EDUCATION AND SKILLS FUNDING AGENCY TO CHANGE THE AGE RANGE OF PUPILS AT ANGEL OAK ACADEMY AND VARYING THE ACADEMY’S DETERMINED ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS FOR ADMISSION IN SEPTEMBER 2024

Due to very low pupil numbers, we are consulting with stakeholders on the possibility of closing the nursery at Angel Oak Academy from September 2023.

Full details are included on the below document, along with guidance on how you can have your say.

A consultation meeting at Angel Oak Academy will take place on Monday 15th May at 4pm, during which you can raise any questions you may have.

Although the decision will not be made until July, we encourage prospective nursery parents for September 2023 to consider alternative options, alongside Angel Oak, so as to secure an alternative place if the nursery does close.

Angel Oak Academy Nursery Closure Proposal

Angel Oak Academy Nursery Closure Proposal Questionnaire

Proposed Amended Angel Oak Admission Policy 2024-2025

CONSULTATION ON PROPOSAL TO VARY THE DETERMINED ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE SEPTEMBER 2024 INTAKE AT PEACEHAVEN HEIGHTS ACADEMY AND TELSCOMBE CLIFFS ACADEMY

STEP Academy Trust has consulted on the variation to the 2024 admission arrangements for Peacehaven Heights Academy and Telscombe Cliffs Academy, East Sussex. The School Admissions Code 2021, requires admission authorities to publicly consult where changes are proposed to admission arrangements.

This consultation sought stakeholder’s views and comments.

Post Consultation for Peacehaven Heights Academy and Telscombe Cliffs Academy Admissions – Summary

It was proposed that STEP Academy Trust undertakes an admissions consultation to bring the admissions process for those academies new to STEP into line with all STEP admissions policies.

The consultation took place for a minimum of 6 weeks between 15 November 2022 and 28 December 2022.

Responses to Peacehaven Heights Academy Admission Arrangements Consultation

There were no responses to the consultation.

Responses to Telscombe Cliffs Academy Admission Arrangements Consultation

There were no responses to the consultation.

Considerations for Determination

Peacehaven Heights Academy and Telscombe Cliffs Academy admission arrangements for 2024/2025 have been determined and signed off by the Chair of Trustees in February 2023.

We welcome visits to our Academies before application and are flexible in trying to ensure you can look around at a mutually convenient time. Please telephone the Academy office to make an appointment with a member of the admissions team. If possible, we will try to arrange for a member of the Senior Leadership Team to be available for further questions. Please check each Academy’s website for further details.

Applications for Reception places at one of our South London STEP Academies will be made in accordance with the PAN London coordinated admission arrangements administered by the Local Authority School Admissions team.

Applications for Reception places at one of our East Sussex STEP Academies will be made in accordance with the East Sussex County Council coordinated admission arrangements.

Information on our Academies is displayed on their website. The Academies will use the timetable specified by the Local Authority each year and published annually to parents for admissions of pupils to primary schools. For detailed information, please check the local authority website.

In year admissions (those that take place to all other year groups) are made as places become available. In recent years there have been very few places available for ‘in year’ admissions at our academies. However, you still make a formal application to your home Local Authority and your child’s name will be added to the waiting list for the academy of your choice.

Consideration of Applications

Applications are considered for reception places annually. For ‘in year’ admissions, applications are considered as soon as a place becomes available.

Waiting lists are maintained by the LA and all enquiries should be made to them. Children on waiting lists are ranked according to the priority they have under the published admission arrangements. Waiting lists do not operate on a ‘first come first served’ basis; if new applicants have a higher priority, they will be ranked higher than those who have been on the list for some time.

Please see below links to in year admissions information:

Secondary Transfer

Each September, parents/carers of children in Year 6, are able to apply for secondary school places for the following year. For detailed information, please check the Local Authority website.

Appeals

Parents/carers who are not offered a place for their child will be entitled to appeal to an independent committee under the provisions of the:

School Standards and Framework Act, 1998.

A service level agreement has been taken out with Local Authority Independent Appeals Services and Clerks Associates to carry out the role of clerk to administer appeals hearings.

Information about the appeals process can be located under the Appeals section on the Academy website.

Angel Oak Academy