UPDATE: the consultation has now closed. The result of the consultation and the new Admission Policy we will adopt from 2025-2026 can be found on our Admission page.
Background
Rivermead Primary School is a very popular two-form entry school, and has been at the heart of the Woodley community for 80 years. The school converted to join Bellevue Place Education Trust (BPET) on 1 January 2023. BPET is now the admissions authority for Rivermead Primary School.
In accordance with the School Admissions (Admission Arrangements and Co-ordination of Admission Arrangements) (England) Regulations 2012, admission authorities must consult on their admission arrangements if changes are being proposed to the admission policies, or if they have not been consulted on within the last 7 years. A consultation must run for a period of six weeks and be completed by 31 January 2024.
As the admissions authority, BPET are proposing two changes to the Rivermead Primary School Admissions Policy for the 2025-26 academic year and onwards.
This letter is our formal notification of a consultation period.
Who is consulted?
This consultation is for the attention of:
- Parents/carers of children currently at the school
- School staff and School Local Advisory Board (LAB)
- Pre-school and primary school providers within 1.5mile radius of Rivermead Primary School
- Wokingham Borough Local Authority, who will also inform the Reading Local Authority.
What changes are proposed?
BPET would like to change the Oversubscription Criteria in two ways:
- Remove the criteria “Families who have exceptional medical or social needs as the grounds for their child’s admission to a particular school” because it is very rarely used, and we do feel a child local school often best meets their medical needs; pupils who apply should be in a catchment of the school and we have no specialist facilities.
- Add the criteria: “Children of staff at the school. Priority to children of staff will be given in either or both of the following circumstances:
- Where the member of staff has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time at which the application for admission to the school is made, and is still employed at the date of admission, and/or
- The member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skill shortage.
This criteria will support long-standing employees rewarding them with the possibility of having their children taught in their school, and will facilitate staff recruitment.
How to respond?
This consultation will run from 29 November 2023 to 31 January 2024 (12.00 midday). You are invited to submit comments in writing about the proposed changes to the Rivermead Primary School 2025-26 Admissions Policy emailing admin@rivermead.wokingham.sch.uk. Please write “Rivermead Primary School 2025-26 Admissions Policy Consultation” in the subject line.
What happens After 31th January 2024?
Following the consultation period, BPET – as the admissions authority – will take any responses into account before determining the final policy arrangements and will prepare a report to be published on the BPET and Rivermead Primary School websites by 28 February 2024.
Admission Policy 2025-26 for consultation
Please click here to view Rivermead Primary School Admission Policy 2025-26 for consultation.