Admissions
The Steiner Academy Hereford is an all-through school with provision for children from rising 4 to 16. There is an admission limit of 26 places per Class, which indicates the maximum number of children normally admitted to that Year Group.
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The Academy Trust is responsible for all admissions and advises parents to ensure that they are familiar with our approved Admission Arrangements before applying for a place.
Please see Consultation Launch Notice 2021 for Proposed Admissions Arrangements 2023-24
Please refer to the Admission Arrangements 2021-22 if you are considering admission for the school year (2021-22).
Please refer to the Admission Arrangements 2022-23 if you are considering admission for the school year (2022-23).
Admission application forms are available from the school’s admissions secretary: denise.stevens@steineracademyhereford.org.uk. Before requesting the form parents should ensure that the education on offer at this school meets their expectations and should attend one of our open events, which are listed on the home page of our website. Regrettably it is not possible to show prospective parents around the school outside these events in order to minimise disruption to the children’s education.
Open Events for Prospective Parents – must be booked in advance
Friday 11 March 2022
The following open event will be on Friday 11 March at 1.30pm and will be in person, if we do not have any Covid restrictions in place. If we do have Covid restrictions, the event will be online. Again, places must be booked through the Admissions Secretary at this email address: admissions@steineracademyhereford.org.uk
Saturday 14 May 2022
We hope the next open event will be on in person, Saturday 14 May 2022 – this is also our May Community Festival, as long as there are no Covid restrictions in place. There will be a talk for prospective parents, an opportunity to visit some classrooms with displays of students’ work. There will probably be maypole dancing, music and activities for children. This event must be booked in advance, through the Admissions Secretary at this email address: admissions@steineracademyhereford.org.uk
Admission to Pre-Statutory Provision
There are 20 places in our pre-statutory provision for rising 4 year olds. An additional place may be available to a family who can show clear links to the school and to the Steiner ethos, subject to the kindergarten teachers judging that they have the resources to take the additional child. To find out more about the process for applying for a pre-statutory place please see Note 1 towards the bottom of this page.
Admission at Reception/Rising 5
Admissions for a school place at rising 5 are co-ordinated by Herefordshire Local Authority. To find out more about the process for applying for your child’s first statutory school place please see Note 2 towards the bottom of this page.
In-Year Transfers
Admissions for all those who have reached the statutory school age is referred to as an ‘in-year transfer’. To find out more about the in-year transfer process please see Note 3 towards the bottom of this page.
Waiting Lists
The school holds a waiting list for the current school year for each class that is full. A child’s position on the waiting list is ranked in accordance with the oversubscription criteria. You must confirm by the end of June if you wish your child’s name to be transferred onto the new waiting list for the next school year.
Appeals
An applicant who is refused a place has the right to appeal. Full details of the appeal process are set out in the letter notifying applicants of the Admission Committee’s decision. Appeal Forms are available from the Admissions Secretary. The information and appeals form can also be downloaded below.
Summer-Born Children
DfE Guidance on summer born children allows parents to request that their child starts school a year later. Such a request should be made in writing to the school’s Admission Authority.
Please note: if a summer born applicant is offered a place and SAH’s Admission Authority supports a request to defer entry, the family must apply for a place again the following year.
Children with an Education & Health Care Plan (EHCP)
If you wish to name this school in your child’s EHCP then you must approach your Local Authority, not the school. A child with an EHCP that names the Steiner Academy Hereford will be offered a place above all other applicants, except in cases where the school cannot meet the specific special educational needs and which would either be incompatible with the provision of efficient education for other children, including the children with whom he or she would be educated, or an efficient use of resources.
Note 1 Parents who are considering applying for a pre-statutory place for their young child in the first instance should register their interest with the school’s Admissions Secretary. They then will receive an invitation to attend an information morning in early February to find out more about what is on offer in a Steiner Kindergarten. The relevant application form will be available at this event. The closing date for pre-statutory places is the last day of February. Pre-statutory places are allocated broadly in line with the school’s over-subscription criteria which are contained with the Admission Arrangements. Parents are notified of the outcome of their application in writing no later than the end of the Spring Term.
Note: Children who have been allocated a pre-statutory place must then go through the Local Authority co-ordinated application process in order to secure a statutory place in the Academy.
Note 2 The main point of admissions to the school is at Reception/Rising 5. Once a child has been allocated a place at Reception/Rising 5 that child is guaranteed a place throughout the school. Admissions at Reception/Rising 5 are coordinated by the LA and all applications must be made on Herefordshire Local Authority (LA) common application form which is available here.
If you live out of Herefordshire, please apply via your Local Authority.
The completed form must be returned to the LA by the middle of January in the following calendar year. The LA then forwards the completed applications that put the Steiner Academy Hereford as the preferred choice to the school for our Admissions Authority to rank them in accordance with our oversubscription criteria. At the end of April the LA informs the parents as to whether their application has been successful or not. If your child is allocated a place at Reception/Rising 5, the school sends a letter of confirmation and after the school has received written acceptance of the place, one of the kindergarten teachers will make contact to arrange to meet with you and your child. If your child’s application for a place is unsuccessful you will have the right to appeal and your child’s name is placed on the waiting list.
Note 3 All admission applications for children already of statutory school age are referred to as ‘In Year Transfers’. An In Year Transfer application form is available from the school’s Admissions Secretary or can be downloaded here. An offer of a place will usually be made if there is a space in the relevant class. If your child is not offered a place you can appeal. Your child’s name is added to the waiting list where it will remain until the end of June of the current school year.