Admissions
Thank you for your interest in St Elphege's Schools.
St Elphege’s RC Infant and Junior Schools are in the Archdiocese of Southwark, enjoying close links with St Elphege's Church. Day-to-day, the schools operate as a primary school, from Nursery through to Year 6.
St Elphege’s RC Infant and Junior Schools are built to serve the Catholic and Local Community. We welcome families and staff from the Catholic faith, as well as those from many other faith backgrounds, and those of no faith. Our community is execptionally diverse, yet beautifully cohesive; we embrace and celebrate the richness that such diversity brings.
St Elphege's Schools Tours: Nursery, Reception and Year 3
We would love to show you around our schools.
We offer tours every Thursday at 10.00am (term time only).
If you would like to book a tour, please contact the school office directly to book an appointment.
School email: infant-office@stelphegesrcschools.org.uk
Office: 020 8669 6306 ext 0
The Admissions Process
To see a full copy of our Admissions policy and process, please download the relevant information below.
If you have any questions at all, please feel free to call us on 020 8669 6306.
All applicants must complete an Admissions Administration Form which can be downloaded below.
Appeals
Parents whose applications for places are unsuccessful may appeal to an Independent Appeal Panel set up in accordance with section 94 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. Appeals must be made in writing and must set out the reasons on which the appeal is made. Appeals should be made to the Admissions Appeal Clerk at the school address. Parents/Carers have the right to make oral representations to the Appeal Panel. Infant classes are restricted by legislation to 30 children. Parents should be aware that an appeal against refusal of a place in an infant class may only succeed if it can be demonstrated that:
- The admission of additional children would not breach the infant class size limit;
- Or, the admission arrangements did not comply with admissions law or had not been correctly and impartially applied and the child would have been offered a place if the arrangements had complied or had been correctly and impartially applied;
- Or, the panel decides that the decision to refuse admission was not one which a reasonable admission authority would have made in the circumstances of the case.
Getting Ready for School
Children will have learned many things before they come to school. You will have helped them to learn to walk and talk and gain knowledge of our world. In their everyday play children will have begun to learn about colour, to count (plates for dinner, sweets to be shared, cars on the road etc.) to read (recognising advertisements, the McDonalds sign) sing nursery rhymes, pop songs, look at books, comics and magazines. These all help to foster a joy of reading and learning.
Now the time has arrived for the school to assist you in helping your child to learn more and develop into a happy healthy adult. These notes are to help you to prepare for and enjoy this new experience and to encourage you to continue assisting at home. All children learn through play at home and at school. Please do not underestimate the importance of play in a child's life. They will learn from doing and talking before they are ready to read and write about their experience. They will need to find out about the properties of sand, water, paint, clay, to estimate and count before they write their findings as "sums".
Children develop at an individual rate; some walk or talk or are toilet trained before others. It is the same with reading and writing. Try not to compare your child with others. Even brothers and sisters develop at different rates.
Things to do before your child starts school:
- Endeavour to help your child to be toilet trained and knows how to ask for the toilet.
- Make sure all your child's clothes are clearly marked with his/her name.
- Talk about school with your child. Talk about "starting school" stories and visits to school support their transition. Our Nursery and Reception staff will always provide a home visit to ensure your children feel secure and welcome when they arrive at school.
- Support your children in their use of a knife and fork so that they are able to enjoy their lunch independently. If he/she is to have a packed lunch ensure that the container is clearly marked and recognisable and the contents support a healthy choice and balance. This reinforces our aim for all children to enjoy a healthy diet.
- Help your child to listen to simple instructions and carry them out. (e.g. tidying away toys, coming when called.).
- If your child has a special physical or educational need please make sure that the Headteacher and class teacher are fully aware of these.
- You will be invited to a meeting during the term before your child is due to start school.