Places at Barns Green Primary School are available through the admissions team at West Sussex County Council.
Information on the process can be found on the West Sussex County Council School Places page here.
1. Starting School
Applying for a school place in West Sussex
Schools in West Sussex are categorized as community, voluntary controlled and voluntary aided. Community and voluntary controlled schools serve catchment areas. Voluntary aided schools serve wider areas. Barns Green Primary School is a Community school.
Admissions to community and voluntary controlled schools are the responsibility of the Local Education Authority and applicants must be made through the offices at:
Education Office North
Pupil Admission Office
Centenary House
Crawley
West Sussex
Tel: 08450 751007
Email: admissions@westsussex.gov.uk
Or applications can be made online at www.westsussex.gov.uk
Under the education act parents can express a preference for any school but parents do not have a right to choose a school. West Sussex Educational Authority does however make effort to meet parental preference where possible. Further information about how places allocated at this, and other schools in the county, is contained in the Authority’s Information for Parents Booklet a copy of which is available from the school office or the Pupil Admissions Office or online at www.westsussex.gov.uk
Admissions
Children are admitted at the beginning of the school year in which they become FIVE YEARS OLD. Admissions are organised by the Pupil Admission Office at West Sussex County Council.
Children may attend part time at the discretion of their parents/carers until they reach statutory school age, when they must attend full time. Statutory school age is defined as the beginning of the term following the child’s 5th birthday.
At Barns Green we seek to work with parents to ensure that the transition into school is a relaxed and happy experience for the children. School is a demanding environment and children have to learn to be more independent and able to look after their own needs. Some children find this very challenging and tiring and it is important to recognise this.
Until the child reaches statutory school age it is possible to organise a phased programme of school attendance allowing a gradual increase in the child’s time at school. This can be particularly beneficial for younger children or those who have not attended full time nursery school. We work with the parents on an individual basis to meet the needs of each child.
Familiarisation Visits
During the term before your child is due to start school, we invite you and your child to visit the school, meet the class teacher and for your child to spend some time in the classroom. Our policy is to admit all children part time in the first week when they start, to ensure that each child can be welcomed in a relaxed way.
Our reception class has a full-time teaching assistant. Due to the numbers in the school children throughout the school may be taught in mixed aged classes.
2. In Year School Transfers
Admissions of children to the school at any other time (known as “In year admissions”) are handled by the Local Education Authority.
An information pack is available from the Admissions Office (address above) or the school office. The pack can also be downloaded from the West Sussex County Council website.