Admissions Arrangements
Luton operates a catchment area for each Local Authority & Voluntary Controlled School, although The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 provides parents with the right to express a preference for the school they wish their child to attend.
In the September before your child is due to start school, you will be sent a booklet explaining the Local Authority admission arrangements and the criteria used to allocate places to Luton schools. We accept children from the local neighbourhood and sometimes from further afield; priority, however, is given to pupils living in the catchment area with an admissions limit for each year group being determined by the Local Authority. If the number of places in a particular year group is not sufficient to meet the requests of all the parents outside the catchment area, the following criteria will be applied (in order of priority) to determine how places are allocated:-
1. To children with a Statement of Special Educational Needs that names the school (in accordance with the Education Act 1996).
2. Pupils who are ‘looked after’ by the Local Authority where the person with parental responsibility expresses a written first preference for the school.
3. Brothers and sisters of pupils currently attending the school.
4. Pupils living in the catchment area of the school where the parents express a written first preference for the school.
5. Places will also be allocated on medical grounds when supported by a medical certificate.
6. On the shortest distance, measured in a straight line, between the central pint from the Reception Office of the main school site and the pupil's home address, with those living closer to the school being accorded higher priority.
7. Any other applicant.
Where the application of the above criteria results in a situation where there are more children with an equal right of admission to the school than the number of places available, then the distance criterion - Item 6 above - will be used as a 'tie - breaker' to resolve the matter. The Local Authority asks for proof of residency on admittance.
Upon joining Icknield Primary School we operate a phased admission programme in the first term to ensure a happy and enjoyable transition experience for our pupils. Attendance builds to full-time by the end of the first half term; this helps children settle into school and provides us with the opportunity to assess and plan the appropriate programmes of work and activities on an individual basis.
In common with all Luton schools, we are an inclusive school ad welcome children from all social and cultural backgrounds. Working together with parents and the Education Authority and other agencies we make the necessary provision for pupils with disabilities and special educational needs and can boast a dedicated Inclusion Team who support pupil's access to school and the curriculum.