Admissions

Martenscroft Nursery School and Children’s Centre

Please click here to download a copy of the Daycare and Nursery Class place waiting list application form: Application Form 

Once completed, please email your application to admin@martenscroft.manchester.sch.uk

Take a look at our school prospectus for more information:

Martenscroft Nursery School Prospectus 2021

Admissions Policy

Introduction

This document outlines the Admission Policy for Martenscroft Nursery School and Children’s Centre. It sets out the criteria that the Governors will adopt in determining the admission of children to both the nursery class, before and after nursery class provision and childcare provision.

Terms used within the Policy

 In this policy the following words or phrases have the following meanings:

The ‘school’, ‘centre’ or ‘Martenscroft’

Martenscroft provides integrated care and education for children from 4 months to rising five years of age.  The school provides childcare, nursery class, before and after nursery class provision and school holiday provision.

Nursery class

This accommodates children from 3 years to rising 5 years of age.  It is a maintained nursery school, operating from 9.00am to 3.30pm each day, term-time only (38 weeks a year). This is full time provision, where children are entitled up to 25 hours nursery education funding per week. Where a child is only entitled to 15 hours nursery education funding per week parents may choose a part time place or purchase the additional 10 hours per week. Dinner money charges also apply unless your child is entitled to free school meals (FSM).

Before and after nursery class provision (Acorn Club is currently unavailable and under review due to Covid restrictions)

We call this provision 'Acorn Club'. This accommodates children from 3 years to rising 5 years of age and operates from 8.00am to 9.00am and 3.30pm to 5.45pm each day, term time only (38 weeks a year). We have up to 16 places available each day. Please see our charging policy for information about flexible options and charges for this provision.

Childcare and school holiday provision

This accommodates children from the age of 4 months to rising 5 years of age.  This is a flexible service which is available 49 weeks a year and operates between the hours of 7.45am and 5.45pm. Please see our charging policy for detailed information about our flexible childcare options and charges. 

The Governors

The Governing Body comprises of representatives from within the school, centre, the local authority, parents and the community.  They are responsible and accountable for leading the school and support with decision making for all services delivered from the school.

Parents and Carers

A parent or carer is any person who has parental responsibility for or is the legal guardian of the child.

Statutory school age

The school term immediately following your child’s 5^th birthday.

Home address

We mean your child’s normal home address at the time you make the application for a place.

Sibling

This is a brother, sister, half-brother or sister, adopted brother or sister, or the child of the parent/carer’s partner, where the child for whom the nursery place is sought is living in the same family unit at the same address.

Admission for a nursery class place

We offer up to 60 full time equivalent places each year. Children become eligible for admission the term following their third birthday. When the number of requests for admission exceeds the number of places available children are admitted in the following priority order:

Category 1

Children with an exceptional social, medical, or special educational need. (Subject to the school being able to meet the child's needs)

Category2

Children who live within the Manchester Local Education Authority catchment area and have a sibling attending the school when they take up the place.

Category 3

Children who live within the Manchester Local Education Authority catchment area are prioritised according to the distance between the child’s permanent home address and the school. This is measured by aerial distance on a map.

Category 4

If there are places available after categories 1 to 3 are completed, children who live outside of Manchester Local Education Authority catchment area are prioritised according to the distance between the child’s permanent home address and the school. This is measured by aerial distance on a map.

Applying for a nursery class place

To apply for a nursery class place you need to contact the school directly.  All parents will need to fill in a Nursery Class Application Form which can be obtained from the school reception or from our website. Once we have received your form your child’s name will be placed on our waiting list.

As soon as a place is available we will contact you by phone and in writing. You will be given a deadline to respond and accept the place. If you do not respond by the deadline given we will offer the place available to another child on the waiting list. If we cannot offer you a place, your child’s name will remain on the waiting list and we will contact you if a place becomes available.

No child will be refused a place because of gender, race, religious belief, academic ability or aptitude.

There is a gradual admission policy in the nursery and all new children to the school will receive a home visit prior to starting at Martenscroft (please see our home visit policy). In order to ensure the smoothest transition to school as possible we require parents and carers to stay with their child for some time in the nursery for the first few mornings. The children then gradually build up their time in nursery until they are attending full time. This process normally takes a week to ten days. The staff team will discuss this with you when your child starts in Nursery. For more detailed information please refer to the Gradual Admission Policy and Procedures.

The Governing Body has the right to alter the admissions procedure for Nursery Class as Nursery Education is not a statutory requirement.

Applying for a before or after school place

Our Acorn Club is only available for children who have been offered a place with our Nursery Class. Places are offered on a 'first come first served' basis. You will be asked at the point of applying if you are wanting to purchase this service. Names are then placed in order onto the Acorn Club waiting list. You will be informed as soon as a place is available.

Admission for a childcare place or a school holiday place

We offer up to 50 full time equivalent childcare places for aged 4 months to 5 years. When the number of requests for admission at any age exceeds the number of places available (including at the time the places are available to be filled), children are offered places in the following priority order:

Category 1

Children with an exceptional social, medical, or special educational need. (Subject to the school being able to meet the child's needs)

Category2

Children who live within the Manchester Local Education Authority catchment area and have a sibling attending the school when they take up the place.

Category 3

Children are prioritised according to the places available at the school at that time. For example, full and part time places available. Places available are then offered to children who live within the Manchester Local Education Authority catchment area and are prioritised according to the distance between the child’s permanent home address and the school. This is measured by aerial distance on a map.

Category 4

If there are places available after categories 1 to 3 are completed, children who live outside of Manchester Local Education Authority catchment area are prioritised according to the distance between the child’s permanent home address and the school. This is measured by aerial distance on a map.

Applying for a childcare place

To apply for a childcare place you need to contact the school directly.  All parents will need to fill in a Childcare application form which can be obtained from the school reception or from our website. Once we have received your form your child’s name will be placed on our waiting list.

No child will be refused a place because of gender, race, religious belief, academic ability or aptitude.

When a place becomes available within our childcare provision, we will contact you. An offer letter will then be sent out to you detailing the place available and the cost. If we do not hear from you within 5 working days from the date on the offer letter to confirm your acceptance of the place, then the place will be allocated to another family and your name will be removed from our waiting list.

On contacting the school, a meeting will be arranged. This will allow for the necessary paperwork to be completed and confirmation of the exact place to be offered.

Please note that apart from 12 part time 2 year old funded places, we are not able to offer term time only places within our childcare provision.

There is a gradual admission policy in the nursery and where possible all new children will receive a home visit prior to starting at Martenscroft (please see our home visit policy). In order to ensure the smoothest transition to our provision as possible we require parents and carers to stay with their child for some time in the nursery for the first few mornings. The children then gradually build up their time in nursery until they are attending full time. This process normally takes a week to ten days. The staff team will discuss this with you when your child starts in Nursery. For more detailed information please refer to the Gradual Admission Policy and Procedures.

Complaints Policy

A complaints Policy is available should any parent be unhappy with the way in which their application has been considered. Details are available from the school upon request or you can access the policy on our website.

For further details or information please contact us at;

Martenscroft Nursery School

& Children's Centre                                  

33 Epping Street
Hulme
Manchester M15 6PA
Telephone: 0161 2261266
Fax: 0161 2329677

Email: admin@martenscroft.manchester.sch.uk

www.martenscroftnurseryschool.co.uk

This policy was adopted on 15 March 2021 by Martenscroft Nursery School and Children’s Centre

This policy is due to be reviewed in March 2022